"The man in the coffin may well have been living in a substantial Roman villa estate somewhere around Trafalgar Square - a big country house maybe with a little village, even, associated with it, " he said.
The ceremony followed a 90-minute open-topped parade from Mansion House during which the two buses crawled through thousands of flag-waving fans as crowds built up in a sun-drenched Trafalgar Square.
The Royal British Legion - which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year - held a "Silence in the Square" event in Trafalgar Square, featuring musical performances and readings before the two-minute silence.