Canadians say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II with a stunning parade in Ottawa

Canadians braved cold and rain as they said goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday with a parade through the capital Ottawa.

A large number of people waited hours in the early morning on a cold, rainy street corner in Ottawa to see two dozen Royal Canadian Mounted Police on horseback, a 100-soldier honor guard and a military band march past parliament.

Canadians were attached to Queen Elizabeth right to the end. More than 52,000 Canadians also sent messages through an online book of condolences. 

The day has been declared a national holiday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Following the memorial procession, hundreds of dignitaries were expected to attend a service at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa with music by Ginette Reno and Rufus Wainwright, as well as an address by former prime minister Brian Mulroney.

Outside, a gun salute was to fire 96 rounds -- one salvo for each year of the queen´s life -- and several fighter jets were to fly past overhead.

They were to be joined in the skies above Ottawa by Second World War aircrafts including a Spitfire and a Hurricane, but all of the planes were grounded at the last minute due to rain storms.