As thousands gathered from both within London and around the globe to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, some small, deeply meaningful touches may have escaped the public eye. Following on from the funeral, many heartfelt tributes have come to light to remind us that not only were we saying farewell to a beloved monarch but also to a grandmother, a mother, and – of course – an animal lover.
The flowers
Her Majesty’s wreath, laid upon her coffin, was personally chosen by her son and now King, Charles III. The foliage included flowers cut from Buckingham Palace, from the royal residence on The Mall, Clarence House, and from the family residence of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort: Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
Symbols of strength, remembrance, and love were intertwined into the arrangement. English oak, a traditional British symbol of strength, to recognise the Queen’s devoted duty to her nation, rosemary for remembrance, and finally Myrtle, a historical symbol for a long happy marriage, which was cut from the Myrtle plant grown from a sprig in the Queen’s wedding bouquet from 1947. The card placed on top of the wreath was a handwritten note reading: “In loving and devoted memory, Charles R.”
The Queen’s coffin
Beneath the beautiful wreath was an oak, lead-lined coffin. This is a traditional design chosen for members of the Royal Family or, in some cases, renowned public figures like Winston Churchill. The coffin was constructed around 30 years ago alongside her loving husband's, The Duke of Edinburgh.
The lead lining traces back to the Victorian era, with the purpose of an airtight seal for preservation leading to when the deceased is laid to rest above ground. The oak used for royal coffins is often made from the oak on Sandringham Estate, the much-loved country retreat of Her Majesty the Queen, a property bought by Queen Victoria in 1862 for the Prince of Wales. This is the reason why Her Majesty was carried by nine 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, as the coffin is estimated to weigh between 250-317kg.
The jewellery
Many female members of the royal family paid tribute to the late monarch through their choice of jewellery. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, wore a pearl necklace commissioned by the Queen, which was made using cultured pearls from the Japanese government. With four rows of pearls and a stunning curved diamond clasp, such a beautiful piece was worn regularly by Her Majesty in the 1980s and 1990s. The Princess also chose to wear this piece to the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary in 2017 and in 2021 at Prince Philip’s funeral. The necklace was paired with Bahrain Pearl Earrings, another gift from the Queen.
Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, also paid tribute through her jewellery by wearing her pearl stud earrings, a wedding gift from the Queen.
The Queen's pets
The Queen was a known lover of animals, particularly horses and dogs, so it was only right for her beloved fell pony Emma to have a front row seat amongst the floral tributes on The Long Walk, to greet the procession by Windsor Castle.
The Queen’s love of horses was further paid tribute by her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte. Aged seven, she wore a small horseshoe pendant that glinted in the afternoon light as she waved her great-grandmother farewell. The Queen was an avid lover of racing, Ascot being one of her highlights within the British calendar and was a keen rider herself, spotted riding within the grounds of Windsor Castle into her nineties.
Loyal to the end, her much-loved companions, Muick, and Sandy attended the funeral procession awaiting their former owner at Windsor Castle. The corgis fashioned a blue and a red lead and were escorted by two pages in red tailcoats. The pair were gifted to her by her son Prince Andrew in 2021 to keep her company when Prince Philip was unwell and are now being taken on by him. The Queen owned over 30 corgis in her lifetime.
The music
The Queen also had a great fondness for music, and her favourites were threaded into the service at Westminster Abbey. The Lord’s My Shepherd was sung by the 2,000 gathered mourners to pay tribute to one of the happiest days of her life in 1947, where it was also sung, her wedding.
This choice of hymn also links the Queen’s love for Balmoral, where she spent much of her childhood and where she passed, as the hymn’s roots trace back to a parish not far from the castle itself.
Her Scottish roots were further brought to life in the Abbey by her personal piper playing a haunting traditional lament to bring the service to a close. For 70 years, each morning, the Queen would be woken by the sound of pipes for 15 minutes wherever she was resident. She always had a Piper to the Sovereign and Pipe Major Paul Burns, who had served since 2021, was a personal request from the Queen. He is the 17th Piper to the Sovereign, a role that has been around since 1843, created by Queen Victoria. The service was sung to rest by “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep,” which grew quieter as Major Paul Burns walked down the steps of the abbey.
She paid tribute to the monarch with her funeral look.
