Mourners from around the world have been paying their final respects to the Queen Mother as nations witness the end of an era in Britain's royal history.

The funeral service at Westminster Abbey in London was attended by more than 2,000 dignitaries from across the world, including monarchs and royal family members from 25 countries, America's First Lady Laura Bush and heads of government.

England has been orphaned, the Queen Mother has died

Russia's NTV television channel

The BBC's William Horsley says the presence of the prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand reflected the Queen Mother's especially close links with the older Commonwealth states.

Soldiers from Canada, Australia and other countries with close ties to Britain took part in the funeral ceremony - as decreed by the Queen Mother before her death.

The Canadian Government declared Tuesday a day of national mourning.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela and French President Jacques Chirac were among those who paid warm tributes, praising her courage during World War II, when she stayed in London with her husband King George VI during the blitz.

In Afghanistan, members of the Royal Anglian Regiment held a sombre ceremony at their Kabul base to mark the Queen Mother's funeral.

Some 300 soldiers said prayers and listened as bagpipes and bugles were played.

From Russia with love

One of the more poignant overseas tributes to the Queen Mother was paid in the Russian city of Volgograd - better known to older generations as Stalingrad.

The Queen Mother was an honorary citizen of Volgograd

Flags have been flying at half mast since her death, and a minute's silence was observed on Tuesday.

The Queen Mother was held in great affection there because of her charity relief work for the city during and after the siege of Stalingrad.

Two years ago, she was made an honorary citizen.

"England has been orphaned, the Queen Mother has died," read a headline on Russia's NTV television channel.

Inna Plotnikova, a member of Volgograd's city council, said "we admired her because she was a unique person, a person that belonged to the whole century and she was always dignified".

"Everyone here in Volgograd knows that during World War II she refused to leave Buckingham Palace when it was bombed. And that is a very heroic deed."