John McCain’s family and friends watch on as his casket is escorted into the National Cathedral where Obama and Bush prepare to pay tribute to maverick Senator at invite-only funeral
- John McCain’s funeral will be held Saturday morning following a procession through Washington DC
- The motorcade will stop at the Vietnam Veterans memorial where his wife Cindy will lay a wreath
- Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush will speak at McCain’s final formal service
- On Sunday, McCain will be buried at the US Naval Academy next to his friend Adm. Chuck Larson
John McCain will be laid to rest on Saturday at an invitation-only funeral in Washington
Senator John McCain will be farewelled by former presidents, congressional colleagues and his children on Saturday morning following a public procession through Washington DC.
McCain, who died on Tuesday just days before his 82nd birthday, will be carried from the US Capitol by Armed Forces Body Bearers, before he is transported by a motorcade to Washington National Cathedral.
Eight members of the Armed Forces were seen carrying McCain’s coffin from the Rotunda to a waiting hearse about 8.30am, with one man at the back appearing to direct them.
At one point, the plastic covering protecting the casket from adverse weather blew off McCain and straight on to the head of a soldier. He did not flinch, and continued marching down the stairs until someone was able to take the plastic off him.
The casket then joined a police motorcade, with multiple large black vans at the back.
Crowds were seen lining the street outside and inside the Vietnam Veterans memorial ahead of McCain’s arrival.
The motorcade took McCain and his family to the Memorial ahead of the funeral, where the Senator’s wife, Cindy, laid a wreath to honor those lost in the Vietnam War.
A Military Honor Guard carries the casket of US Senator John McCain from the US Capitol. A plastic protective cover blew off the casket and on to one officer
Crowds were seen gathering at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where a naval officer stood with a wreath for Mrs McCain to lay in her husband’s honor
The crowds extended on to the street, and were gathered near the officer in the hope of catching a glimpse of Mrs McCain
US Navy SN Caleb Harrington (pictured), from Fresno, will assist the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, General John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff and Cindy McCain lay a ceremonial wreath honoring all whose lives were lost during the Vietnam War
The officer can be seen continuing to march despite the plastic covering on his head
The covering is not removed until McCain’s casket has been placed in the hearse, which then leads the procession to the war memorial
John’s wife Cindy helped lay the wreath at the Vietnam Veterans memorial alongside John Kelly and Jim Mattis
The wreath was covered in a blue ribbon reading: In honor of all who served
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As she, John Kelly and Jim Mattis laid the wreath with the help of US Navy SN Caleb Harrington, McCain’s daughter Meghan appeared visibly distraught at the day’s events.
The motorcade moved on from the memorial to the National Cathedral, where high profile guests were gathering inside for the invitation only service.
While guests were taken inside and seated, McCain’s wife Cindy and his children, Meghan, Bridget, John Sidney, James and Sidney waited out the front for the Senator’s casket.
Military personnel removed the casket from the hearse as the family stood nearby, holding their right hands over their hearts.
A prayer was said over McCain’s coffin before it was carried inside, and the family followed closely behind.
Business leaders and talk show hosts will join the many politicians invited to the traditional funeral.
Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and late night host Jay Leno are all among those invited.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were also in attendance, despite her father being asked not to attend the service.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were seen entering the Cathedral, despite President Trump being asked not to attend
Pictured from left: Former First Lady Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former vice president Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne and former vice president Al Gore
Talk show host Jay Leno and former US Senator Bob Dole were also in attendance at the invitation-only memorial
Secretary of State Madeline Albright was seen at the Cathedral for the long-standing Senator
Sam Johnson, a former prisoner of war, was in attendance at McCain’s funeral
Sam Johnson, a republican lawmaker who shared a cell with McCain in Vietnam for 18 months when they were both Prisoners of War, was also seen being taken into the Cathedral.
On Friday, Johnson rose from his wheelchair to pay a moving tribute to his friend. Johnson rose, and, with a cane in one hand and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi holding on to his other arm, walked to McCain’s coffin to touch it goodbye.
The public were invited to line the streets to bid the war hero, who worked as a politician in Arizona for more than 30 years, a final goodbye as his procession moved through Washington.
The 15 pallbearers at Saturday’s cathedral service will include former Vice President Joe Biden, former Senator Phil Gramm and ex-Defense Secretary William Cohen, both Republicans, as well as Michael Bloomberg and liberal actor and activist Warren Beatty.
McCain’s friend and former chief of staff, Mark Salter, will also be included.
Remarks will be made by two former presidents, George W Bush and Barack Obama, as well as former Senator Joe Lieberman and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
McCain’s children will also deliver a tribute and read a poem.
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On Sunday, the American war hero will be buried at the US Naval Academy in Maryland, next to his old friend, Admiral Chuck Larson.
On Friday, McCain was laid in state in the Captiol Rotunda – making him one of only 13 senators to do so.
He was laid on the Lincoln catafalque, which was built in 1865 for Lincoln’s remains to rest on and has been used for all those who have lie in state in the Capitol since.
A US Navy band is seen arriving at the cathedral on Saturday ahead of McCain’s funeral
McCain’s family were at the Capitol to see John’s body be carried into a waiting hearse ahead of the procession
Pictured: The motorcade taking McCain to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the way to the cathedral
The former Presidential candidate is currently in the rotunda at Capitol Hill, and will be moved via procession to the cathedral
His family have been present at seven other services held in Arizona and Washington, and will bury McCain at the US Naval Academy on Sunday (pictured: Roberta McCain, 106, is seen at her son’s casket as it is laid in state in the Rotunda at Capitol Hill on Friday)
Past presidents John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan have lie in state as have distinguished citizens such as Douglas MacArthur.
The last person to lie in state in the US Capitol rotunda was Antonin Scalia in February 2016.
Throughout US history, only 32 people have been ‘lain in state’ or ‘lain in honor’ under the soaring Capitol Rotunda, including 11 presidents and unknown soldiers from World War I to Vietnam.
McCain was involved in planning the events around his funeral. He made it clear to family and friends that he wanted Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden, Bush and Obama to speak, but that Trump was not welcome.
Last July, Sen. McCain was diagnosed with a glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer – but he was back in the Senate two weeks later. His last Senate vote was in December.
The Senator and war hero died just days before his 82nd birthday, little more than a year after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer (pictured Friday August 31)
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