Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral was one of tradition and military precision, but there were a number of touching and personal details in honor of Her late Majesty too.
Atop her coffin, as well as the glittering crown jewels, was a beautiful floral arrangement which had been chosen carefully by the new King Charles.
Poignantly, the wreath features blooms taken from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Highgrove House—each with symbolic meanings. According to the palace, the flowers include rosemary for remembrance. The arrangement also includes myrtle, an ancient symbol of a happy marriage, cut from a plant which was grown from a sprig of myrtle that was originally included in the Queen’s wedding bouquet in 1947.
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English oak was also featured to represent the strength of love, while pelargoniums, garden roses, autumnal hydrangea, sedum, dahlias, and scabious were added in shades of gold, pink, deep burgundy, and white to reflect the Royal Standard.
Amongst the foliage was a handwritten note on King Charles’ personal stationary, which read: “In loving and devoted memory, Charles R.”
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, Britain has been observing a period of national mourning. The Queen’s coffin has been lying in state at Westminster Hall, where people have been lining up through the night to be able to pay their respects to the late monarch.
