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PRINCE William, Sir Alex Ferguson and Gareth Southgate have joined mourners to bid farewell to England legend Sir Bobby Charlton today.
Legends from across the footballing world have gathered to celebrate the life of the World Cup hero at Manchester Cathedral.
United legends Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Steve Bruce, Paul Scholes, Mark Hughes, Peter Schmeichel and Andy Cole are among those attending the service at Manchester Cathedral today.
Current players were led by Harry Maguire, with Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton also joining mourners at the service
Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, ex-England striker and BBC presenter Gary Lineker, former United midfielder Michael Carrick and Everton defender Ashley Young also attended.
Speaking after the service, Lineker said: "He was so generous and kind.
"I think overall you can perhaps sum him up that you could go anywhere in the world and they would know two words, Bobby Charlton.
"That was not only his fame on the pitch, but how much respect he had."
Carrick, who now manages Middlesbrough, told Sky Sports: "It was inspirational to have someone of his aura and presence.
"To feel the level of support from him gave you so much confidence and belief. There was so much positive energy and a sense of achievement from just being there.
"It's a sad day in many ways, but it is a celebration and it's important to remember him for the person he was."
Schmeichel added: "It was very fitting, a beautiful service. His grandson spoke up and spoke very fondly of him, spoke of him as a family man.
"It was a beautiful service. He is the most important man in Manchester United history. It is incredible, from the Munich disaster, surviving that and losing eight of his teammates, then the rebuild of the football club, then in no time they were on top of Europe.
"As director his influence was incredible. He came up with Sir Alex Ferguson as the next manager and supported him through the first difficult couple of years - he knew he was the right person and the rest is history."
As the funeral cortege passed Old Trafford on its way to Manchester Cathedral, thousands of emotional fans lining the streets outside the stadium broke into applause.
And, in an especially poignant moment, Sir Bobby's coffin slowly passed United's "Holy Trinity" statue - erected in tribute to Charlton and his legendary team-mates Denis Law and George Best.
The cortege then passed through a guard of honour comprising members of the club's youth team squads and the statue before setting off for the cathedral via the A56, Trinity Way, Chapel Street and Victoria Bridge.
Sir Bobby's widow Norma Ball followed her partner's coffin into the service.
In a tribute on his coffin, she wrote: "Dearest Bobby, forever in my thoughts, forever in my hearts. All of my love always, Norma."
Members of the public were invited forward by security to attend the funeral if they wish, with 500 spots made available.
Speaking outside the service, former United goalkeeper Alex Stepney told Sky Sports News: "I can't thank him enough for helping me out. He was a perfect gentleman and a winner.
"He was an ordinary man, a great family man. He liked a bit of fun, he had craic, but deep down an honest man, couldn't have been a better player in international football and for United. He was the best."
United manager Erik Ten Hag was not in attendance at the ceremony due to an "unbreakable and long-standing personal commitment in Holland".
The commemoration was scheduled to start at 2pm and was led by Canon Nigel Ashworth.
The ceremony, which was not filmed or broadcast, included eulogies and tributes from former United chief executive David Gill and a personal tribute from Sir Bobby's family.
In his eulogy, Gill said: "I was honoured when Norma asked me to say a few words about Sir Bobby.
"I started supporting Manchester United in the 1960s - captivated by Best, Law and Charlton - so it was a great privilege and hard to believe, that I should be involved many years later with commissioning the Trinity statue that now stands outside Old Trafford honouring these greats.
"And that I should stand here now to pay tribute to Bobby. A legend, an icon but also to many of us here today a very dear, loyal and much loved colleague and friend.
"When talking about the man you never needed to say anything other than Sir Bobby - everyone around the world knew who you were talking about, no surname needed.
"I thought the tributes paid around Premier League grounds on the weekend of 28 October were magnificent - fans spontaneously breaking out into chants of 'there's only one Bobby Charlton'.
"Very few players in the world of football would receive that accolade. Football is a tribal sport but Bobby was universally admired."
John Shiels, CEO of Manchester United Foundation, added: "Everyone of you sitting in front of me will have a story about how you connected with Sir Bobby.
"For all he achieved as a footballer, Sir Bobby Charlton the man, was even more impressive."
He continued: "As with his football, in life Sir Bobby always passed forward.
"I cannot reflect on the greatness of the man, without including this. A ball was front line and centre in his entire life. He would say this was the best toy ever invented.
"I think Sir Bobby saw it as a mission to spread joy, and develop the many other powers that this beautiful game had to offer to anyone who picked it up and started playing with it.
"In understanding his privilege he also understood his responsibility. How could he help and give back."
Hymns include Abide With Me, which is traditionally sung before the FA Cup final, Jerusalem and a rendition of How Great Thou Art by opera singer Russell Watson.
Simon Jones, 66, of Cheadle, Gtr Manchester, was among the 1,000-strong members of the public who crammed into the narrow flagstone street outside Manchester cathedral.
Wearing a United scarf, the retired baker told how Sir Bobby was one of the stars of the team when he first went to Old Trafford as a ten-year-old.
Mr Jones said: "When I first started going as a young boy he was part of the team. He was part of my footballing upbringing so I wanted to show my respects to him one last time.
"The public will never see the like of him again, especially when you compare him to the modern day players."
Pensioners Shirley Fox, 85, and husband Trevor, 79, left their home in Huddersfield, West Yorkhire this morning to see Sir Bobby one last time.
Shirley, whose cousin Joseph Walton played for United prior to Sir Bobby, broke down in tears as she recalled Sir Bobby's involvement in the 1958 Munich air disaster.
The retired shoe shop worker said: "We wanted to say goodbye to a true gentleman.
"We were there when he came back to Manchester from the Munich air disaster.
"We were invited into the funeral service but didn’t want to intrude. We will wait to the end to say our goodbye."
Sir Bobby died aged 86 last month following a fall at a care home he was staying at amid a battle with dementia.
Sir Bobby's family has requested donations in lieu of flowers to a series of charities close to Charlton's heart - the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation, the Children's Adventure Farm Trust, the Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's UK.
The midfielder made 758 appearances and scored 249 goals for the Red Devils in a glittering 17-year playing career.
He survived the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, which claimed the lives of eight of his fellow Busby Babes, and went on to win the World Cup with England in 1966 alongside older brother Jack.
His glittering career also included winning the European Cup with United two years later.
Charlton returned to the club as a director in 1984 and continued to serve both it and football in general as a much-admired ambassador until his latter years.
His stature in the game was reflected in the tributes which poured in after the news of his death was announced.
Sir Alex described him as a "tower of strength" during his 26-year spell at the helm.
In a eulogy published in the matchday programme ahead of the derby against Manchester City, he wrote: "It's no surprise to me that we've seen tributes to Sir Bobby from everywhere in the world, on every TV channel and in every newspaper, because he was without question the greatest English player of all time.
"People loved him because of all those thunderbolt goals, but it was more than that. My dad used to say that humility in success is a sign of greatness, and that was Bobby.
"He never used to boast about his own achievements; it was always about the team and the club."
