For ten days, the British Royal family and millions of people in the UK could pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II during a meticulously planned ceremonial procession that began in Scotland and concluded in London.
The different funerals packed an ancient tradition that included symbols representing administrative and religious aspects of the British lifestyle and monarchy, as reported by The Washington Post.
Find below some of the symbols of the monarchy and their meaning
The queen’s coffin
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was constructed over 30 years ago. The box is made of English oak by the same company that made the coffin for Prince Philip. The casket was draped in the Royal Standard flag for the procession and funerals. During the state funeral inside Westminster Hall, the coffin was placed on a catafalque while guarded by an officer. Each hour, they will change places with other guards so they can rest.
The Imperial State Crown
The elaborated and bejeweled crown was made in 1937 and belonged to the queen’s father, King George VI. The impressive and gorgeous piece comprises 317.4-carat cushion-cut Cullinan II diamond and 170-carat Black Prince’s Ruby. It is reported that it has over 3,000 gems.
The Sovereign’s Scepter and Sovereign’s Orb
The Sovereign’s Scepter
The wand is three-foot-long, and it is a visual representation of the monarch’s power. As reported by the publication, its enameled rose, thistle, and shamrock symbols represent the countries that encompass the United Kingdom —England, Scotland, and Ireland. The piece also includes a 530-carat Cullinan I diamond.
The Sovereign’s Orb
This 11-inch sphere has a cross on top, representing the monarch’s power in the Christian world. It was made in 1661 for Charles II.
The Royal hearse
Designed by Jaguar Land Rover in consultation with the queen, the car includes lights so that even at night or during cloudy days, mourners can see the queen’s coffin when transported from one location to another.
The Queen’s white wreath
The queen’s coffin is adorned with a wreath from her Balmoral garden. As reported by our sister magazine HELLO! her flowers are similar to the ones she hand-picked in 2021 for her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Phillips’s wreath featured white lilies, roses, freesia, wax flower, jasmine, and sweet peas. The sweet peas are the birth flower of April, the Queen’s birthday. The white roses represent loyalty, and the freesias represent friendship and perseverance.
The Paddington Bear
Mourners are leaving letters, flowers, and among many other things, Paddington Bears outside the palace. The adorable and clumsy character is a “good friend” of the late queen as both appear having tea time during a skit released to celebrate Her Majesty Platinum Jubilee. The funny video shows the pair revealing their “emergency” marmalade sandwiches in case they get hungry. After the video was released, Paddington became an unofficial symbol of the British Royal family.
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