During today’s formal burial for Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III led senior members of the royal family as they walked behind the casket carrying his mother.
In the procession that took place from Westminster Hall, where the casket had been lying in state, to Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service would take place, he was joined by his siblings as well as his sons, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex.
It was an emotional repeat of a moment that occurred 25 years ago, when the children William and Harry walked behind their mother Princess Diana’s coffin, following the tragic loss of their mother in a car accident in 1997. It was an emotional repetition of a scenario that occurred 25 years ago.
Along with the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, marched behind the coffin of the Queen as it was transported to Westminster Abbey in the State Gun Carriage.
The bearer party consisted of members of the Grenadier Guards, the King’s Body Guards of the Honorable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard, and the Royal Company of Archers. They escorted the coffin as it was carried through the streets of London.
Myrtle that was taken from a plant cultivated using the myrtle from Her Majesty’s own wedding bouquet was used in the wreath that was placed on top of the Queen’s coffin at the request of King Charles. Other components of the wreath include rosemary and English Oak.
The flowers, which had undertones of gold, pink, and deep burgundy, as well as traces of white, came from the grounds of the royal residences and were cut fresh.
The Princess of Wales, along with her two eldest children, Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, joined her husband Prince Charles to walk alongside the procession as it entered Westminster Abbey.
Their younger brother, Prince Louis, who is only four years old, was found to be too young to participate.
It is expected that the young royals will play a more prominent role at carefully selected occasions now that their father is first in line to the throne.
These occasions will be chosen with great care. Alongside her husband, Prince Harry, Meghan, now known as the Duchess of Sussex, also participated in the procession by walking behind the coffin as it was brought into the chapel.
