George HW Bush’s body has made its final journey to Washington DC, where the former president lies in state at the US Capitol ahead of funeral services later this week.

Bush’s loved ones — including former President George W Bush, the late president's Secret Service detail, and a service dog named Sully — boarded a plane normally reserved for transporting sitting American presidents to accompany the body on its flight from Texas to Maryland, where the plane arrived at Joint Base Andrews at 3.22pm before the late president was transported to the Capitol rotunda in Washington.

Members of the US Military presented a 21-gun salute and an air force band played solemn tributes after the one-term president arrived back in the nation's capital for the final time, accompanied by a brilliant sunset of orange and magenta that framed the Capitol building as the flag-draped casket was carried up the steps to the rotunda by Marines.

In the Capitol Rotunda, several members of Bush's administration sat behind the junior former President Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the late president's other son as the late president was brought in and placed on a pedestal in the centre of a throng of mourners. During the ceremony that followed, the president's memory was honoured in speeches by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and Vice President Mike Pence.

"The Greatest Generation achieved all-American accomplishments and exhibited all-American virtues," Mr McConnell said in his remarks. "And it may just be that no one did that as fully as our forty-first president. Even in the ranks of his remarkable generation, he will stand out forever as one of its most especially remarkable sons. George Bush was the best — of the best".

Mr Pence, who this week said he views that the late president was a role model, gave the longest remarks in the Capitol. Like many in the wake of Bush's death on Friday, he remembered him as a man of principle and kindness.

Barbara Bush: life in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Barbara Bush: life in pictures Barbara Bush: life in pictures An infant George W. Bush with his mother Barbara Bush and his father George Bush posing for a portrait in New Haven, CT, April 1947. Barbara Bush: life in pictures George W. Bush (C) poses with father George Bush and his mother Barbara Bush in Rye, New York, summer 1955. Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures George Bush, candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, gets returns by phone at his headquarters in Houston as his wife Barbara, beams her pleasure at the news, in June, 1964. AP Barbara Bush: life in pictures George Herbert Walker Bush poses with his wife Barbara during his campaign for Congress in the 1960's. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures George Herbert Walker Bush poses with his wife Barbara in Beijing in 1974. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures First Lady Barbara Bush talking to her dog Millie as she and granddaughter Barbara Bush, age nine, wait for US President George Bush to return to the White House. September 1991, in Washington,DC. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures US First Lady Barbara Bush (L) as she prepares to throw a rugby ball. February 1992,in Washington,DC. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures First Lady Barbara Bush and her son George Bush Jr attend the 1992 Republican National Convention on August 17, 1992 in Houston. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures U.S. President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush work their way through a crowd gathered to welcome them in August 1992, in the Astroarena. AFP/Getty Images Barbara Bush: life in pictures First Lady Barbara Bush greets the delegates attending the Republican Convention before beginning her speech. August 1992, in Houston, Texas. AFP/Getty

"While he was known as the quiet man, it was not for lack of nerve or daring," Mr Pence said. "For in all of his 94 years, President Bush never lost his love of adventure and he never failed to answer the call to serve his country".

Bush served as America's 41st president from 1988 until 1992, and served before that as vice president during Ronald Reagan's administration. Before then, Bush served in the Navy during the Second World War.

He was married to his wife Barbara from 1945 until her death just a few months ago. He had five children with her.

Bush will be eulogized in a funeral service at the National Cathedral in Washington on Wednesday morning before his body will be brought back to his home state of Texas to be buried.

Rev Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, will lead the funeral. The surviving Bush president is set to eulogise his father, alongside three other individuals close to the late president including former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, former Senator Alan Simpson, and Bush's biographer Jon Meacham, who also eulogised Barbara Bush.

Former US President George Bush Sr diesaged 94

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are expected to attend the funeral, though Mr Trump has not been invited to speak during the ceremony in a break from tradition that has seen sitting presidents give remarks on their deceases predecessors previously. Mr Trump will be joined by every living former president at the funeral — Mr Bush, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter — as well as all but one former first lady of the US.

In response to Bush's death, the nation has seen an outpouring of respect and mourning, with Mr Bush saying that his late father — whose last words were reportedly "I love you" after a call with his son — will be remembered as a great president.

“I think he's going to go down as the greatest one-term president ever,” George W. Bush, the late former president’s son, said of his father in an interview in 60 Minutes that aired over the weekend.

The casket will go by train to the Texas A&M University in College Station in a glass car, through which onlookers can see. After that, Mr Bush’s body will be buried next to his wife and daughter.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events