The crimson flag placed on the coffin is a smaller version of the Royal Standard of the regiment and is made of silk, explained Metro. The monarch's Company Colour is crimson.
King Charles III was seen placing a royal flag on The Queen's coffin at the end of Her Majesty's Committal Service at St George's Chapel, following her state funeral in London. His Majesty joined other members of the Royal Family at the chapel for the service conducted by the Dean of Windsor.
Tradition dictates that the Lord Chamberlain breaks the white staff over the sovereign's grave – a symbolic gesture marking the death of the sovereign he serves.
The Queen's casket was topped with flowers picked from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House. Before the Queen's coffin was lowered into the royal vault in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, a crown, orb and sceptre were removed. Here's why they were taken off and what they mean.
The Queen and Princess Diana's Coffins Were Draped in the Same Flag. Both the queen and Diana's caskets were draped in the Royal Standard, a flag representing the Sovereign and the United Kingdom.
The orb was kept steady by a small spike on its bottom that fit into a discreet mounting on top of the coffin's oak surface. The crown sat atop a purple pillow, a seemingly precarious spot that was stabilised by a firm protruding section on which the monarch's headwear was mounted.
The Lord Chamberlain — Lord Parker of Minsmere, who once served as head of MI5 — took part in the ceremonial breaking of the wand to signify the end of his service to the Queen as sovereign. The wand was then placed above the Queen's coffin and will be buried with the monarch.
“At the end of the final Hymn, The King will place The Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty's Coffin. At the same time, The Lord Chamberlain will "break" his Wand of Office and place it on the Coffin. The burial will only take place this evening, following the funeral.
The tradition goes back centuries and began with a practical consideration: to help the bodies of deceased monarchs remain pristine, especially before modern preservation techniques.
“In loving and devoted memory. Charles R,” it read. The “R” refers to “Rex,” the Latin word for king. Elizabeth, during her reign, would often sign official communications as “Elizabeth R” (“Regina” is Latin for Queen).
The Orb, like the Sceptre, dates back to the 17th-century and is a major part of the coronation ceremony of each monarch. The Orb is seen as a symbol that the monarch's power comes from God. Both items were last used at the Queen's coronation in 1953.
What Happens With Queen Elizabeth's Clothes? Queen Elizabeth never wears the same outfit twice at important events. Therefore, the sovereign prefers to either change her outfits and if she gets bored of them, she sends them to her dressers, who are then allowed to either wear them themselves or sell them.
Gravesites reaching six feet helped prevent farmers from accidentally plowing up bodies. And you had the “rule of thumb,” origin unknown, that said graves should be as deep as the dead person is tall. Today, individual states set the depth of a grave.
A rather large overstuffed pillow is included in the interior package of a finished casket. This pillow helps to hold the decedent in an inclined position. This position helps present a naturally comforting presentation to the survivors.
The 'head' end of a coffin is usually heavier than the 'foot' end, so the stronger people would normally carry the head end. The coffin is normally carried in feet first, it will also be put in a car feet first.
According to Brian Hoey, author of Not In Front of the Corgis, the queen regularly gave her old clothes to her dressers. From there, they could either keep the pieces, wear them, or sell them. Hoey notes that if pieces were sold, buyers couldn't know that the clothes came from Her Majesty.
Queen Elizabeth's coffin has been adorned with her Imperial State Crown, Sovereign's Orb, and Sovereign's Sceptre, which will be removed from their resting place before her final committal ceremony today (Monday, September 19).
They won't stay with Queen Elizabeth II after the funeral or her burial. According to The Telegraph, they will be removed “in the final moments before the public sees its last images of the monarch's coffin” during her service in St. George's Chapel.
It is always easier to light up the upper half of the body and present the face under the best light. By covering the legs, funeral directors save time by spending lesser time lighting the lower portion of the body.
For protecting the body
People have always tried to protect the body of the deceased for a long time. It's an attempt to care for it even after death. Caskets, be they of metal or wood, are sealed so that they protect the body. The sealing will keep the elements, air, and moisture from getting inside the coffin.
It is a tradition that members of the Royal Family are buried in a lead-lined coffin in one of the royal sites. But this tradition was broken by Princess Margaret who was cremated instead.
The Sovereign's Orb is a piece of coronation regalia. It was created for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 from the royal goldsmith Robert Viner. It is made of gold, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, amethyst, diamonds, pearls, and enamel. It has been used at all coronations and events after the one of Charles II.
Because, after 100 years, the last of your bones will have collapsed into dust. In fact, only the teeth will be left, given that they are the most durable part of your body.
The royal orb is a traditional symbol of monarchical power. The royal orb symbolises the earth. Since Hellenic times, the globe has served as a sign of sovereign power. The Roman emperors used the globe as a symbol of their world domination, usually with the goddess of victory positioned on top.
If you are looking at a long-lasting ground casket, pick a steel or metal casket. If the grave site is low on water content or moisture, metal caskets are known to last even longer, over five decades. Under favorable weather conditions, experts say that metal caskets may even last more than that – up to 80 years.