Flowers Adorning Queen Elizabeth’s Coffin Held Special Meaning For The Monarch

Sep 26, 2022 by apost team

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral had drawn millions of mourners from all over, with thousands lining up at Westminster Hall to catch a final glimpse of her and pay their respects one last time. Meanwhile, her death marked the end of an era for a well-loved monarch. 

The queen's body first lay in state at Westminster Hall, where members of the public paid their respects. Then she was buried at the King George VI memorial chapel, which is the resting place of her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and her sister, Princess Margaret. Philip was also interred and joined Elizabeth at the memorial chapel. 

In addition to being buried with her family, Queen Elizabeth was also buried in accordance with royal tradition and with her personality and life in mind. Some of the items that were woven into the proceedings, like her crown, could be clearly seen in her funeral procession. Her coffin, which was carried to its final resting place on Sept. 19, 2022, was also bedecked with more subtle tributes, like a symbolic flower arrangement, which included blooms from her beloved Balmoral. 

Her most recognizable jewels accompanied her to her gravesite, the most majestic being the Imperial State Crown. It was crafted in the 15th century and had been worn by many monarchs since. 

Around the late 1600s, Charles II wore a new version of the crown made by Sir Robert Vyner to coincide with the restoration of the monarchy at that time. Around 10 versions have been made since then. 

The version that Queen Elizabeth II used was made for her father, George VI, in 1937, through luxury jeweler, Garrard & Co. and was inspired by the one Queen Victoria wore in 1838.

The crown has 2,901 precious stones, with the Cullinan II diamond, St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire and the Black Prince's Ruby among the notable stones embedded in it. The main materials used for the frame of the current version are gold, silver and platinum. Meanwhile, the cap is made of velvet trimmed with ermine.

The crown is traditionally worn during a monarch's coronation, usually upon leaving Westminster Abbey, as well as at important events such as the State Openings of Parliament. Queen Elizabeth II, though, decided not to wear her crown in most of these instances and it was carried beside her instead due to its reportedly heavy weight.

In total, the late queen owned more than 300 items of jewelry throughout her reign. Queen Elizabeth's collection included 98 brooches, 46 necklaces, 37 bracelets, 34 pairs of earrings, 15 rings, 14 watches and five pendants. Knowing that fact, many are left wondering: Was the queen buried with any of these various, valuable, one-of-a-kind pieces? The answer is no. 

Natural Diamond Council Head of Communications Lisa Levinson, revealed in an interview with Metro that the queen would be buried with only two jewelry pieces. She commented, "Her Majesty is an incredibly humble woman at heart who is unlikely to be dressed in anything but her simple Welsh gold wedding band to rest and a pair of pearl earrings."

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While it was paraded from one cathedral to another, the queen's casket carried the Imperial State Crown atop a velvet cushion. It was also draped with the Royal Standard. Different floral arrangements were added at different times to symbolize and celebrate the life of the queen. 

On her way to Westminster, Elizabeth II's coffin bore a wreath of white roses, spray white roses and white dahlias. It also included a section of foliage that had sentimental value to the queen. Amidst the blooms was "pine from the gardens at Balmoral." In addition to the Scottish castle being where the queen died, it was also a lifelong favorite of hers and where she often traveled. The bouquet also fittingly included "pittosporum, lavender and rosemary from the gardens at Windsor," another beloved home of hers. 

When her casket traveled to Edinburgh, it carried a wreath containing dahlias, phlox, white heather, pine fir and sweet pea. The latter was said to be a nod to the queen's 73-year-long marriage to Prince Philip, with the flower also having adorned his casket in 2021. 

The queen's Westminster flowers also referenced their marriage with the inclusion of myrtle — when the couple wed, Elizabeth's bouquet featured the white blossoms. In fact, the flower has been carried by many royals on their big day, with the tradition passing to Elizabeth II from Queen Victoria. The sprig included on her casket, in particular, was cut from a plant grown from Elizabeth II's wedding bouquet, another nod to her deep love for Philip.

The resulting colors of the arrangements reflected that of the Royal Standard and together, they perfectly symbolized the long reign of Queen Elizabeth. 

What do you think of the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family and any fellow royalists!