This evening, the Queen will be laid to rest at Windsor’s St. George’s Chapel beside her adored husband Prince Philip, sister, and parents.
The Queen will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, a wing of St. George’s, by her closest family, headed by her four children, in a last sad ceremony that won’t be shown on television.
Along with her sister Princess Margaret’s ashes, her mother and father are interred there. The coffin of Prince Philip, who passed away in April of last year and was buried close in the Royal Vault, will also be transported and placed next to the Queen’s.
Only a few days after the then-Princess Elizabeth wed, King George VI sent his daughter a letter in which he emphasized the need of “remaining together” as “our family,” which he defined as “us four.”
Then, he was talking to his two daughters and his wife Queen Elizabeth, afterwards known as the Queen Mother. That hope will be granted tonight.
Her Majesty’s coffin was placed in the Royal Vault at the Committal Service this afternoon in preparation for the private service at 7.30 p.m.
As the nation’s song was being sung in St. George’s Chapel, the King showed signs of emotion.
Charles took the same position the Queen had occupied at the Duke of Edinburgh’s burial during the Covid-19 epidemic as a moving homage to his mother.
King George VI, the Queen’s father, did not want to be buried in the royal crypt for the foreseeable future, thus the memorial extension was created in accordance with his desires.
The chapel, which is just 18 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 14 feet deep, was the first addition to St. George’s Chapel since 1504 and was finished in 1969. The Queen provided the funding, which came to around £25,000.
St George’s Chapel once held the remains of 45 royals in total, including 10 kings and an additional seven queen consorts. The Queen’s later burial will bring the total number of monarchs to 11.
The Dean of Windsor officiated the Committal Service, which was attended by her family, friends from her past and current households, as well as her personal servants from all of her private estates.
In the King George VI Memorial Chapel’s floor at the moment is a slab of black stone.
Above the times of their birth and passing, it has gold calligraphy with the names of George VI and his late wife Elizabeth, who passed away in 2002.
A slab of black-and-white diamond-shaped stones close by is removed during funerals in order to use a lift.
Princess Margaret was cremated after passing away only a few weeks before her mother. Initially maintained in the royal vault, her ashes were later transferred to the chapel so that they might be alongside her parents.
Behind two of the buttresses supporting the north wall of St. George’s, the memorial chapel was affixed to the building’s north side.
Both the ceremony to move King George’s remains there and the chapel’s subsequent consecration took place in secret.
King Edward IV placed the actual order for St. George’s Chapel, and King Henry VIII oversaw its construction from its start in 1475 until its completion in 1528.
One of the kings buried there is Henry. George III, George IV, George V, and William IV are among the others.
Prince Edward, the father of Queen Victoria, Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, and Prince Adolphus, the grandfather of Queen Mary are among the other royals buried there.
The chapel has also hosted a number of royal weddings, including that of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.
In April of last year, footage from the church at Prince Philip’s funeral revealed the Queen being forced to sit by herself owing to coronavirus restrictions.
Older kings and queens were buried at Westminster Abbey, where they are still interred. The royal crypt is located below the Henry VII Chapel.
This morning, Her Majesty’s magnificent state funeral was held inside Westminster Abbey in front of 2,000 guests.
Numerous international leaders, royals such as kings and queens, foreign dignitaries, and a select few members of the general public who had received honours were among them.
As the Archbishop of Canterbury praised the Queen for having touched “a multitude of lives” and been a “joyful” figure for many, King Charles III was brought to the brink of tears.
The King’s handwritten message was included in the wreath that adorned the Queen’s coffin. In addition to serving as head of state, the Queen was also a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In cherished and affectionate remembrance, it read in the message.
Following her burial, mourners thronged the capital’s streets to show support, applause, and toss flowers along the route of her official hearse, which was attended by more than 2,000 people, including international leaders, foreign royalty, and prominent personalities from the struggle against Covid-19.
The ceremonial parade from the Abbey to Wellington Arch was subsequently seen by hundreds of thousands of people. It was an uncommon sight to see thousands of sailors, soldiers, and airmen either following the former head of the armed forces or lining the path.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex temporarily rejoined the royal family after they had separated, but as the Queen’s son, the Earl of Wessex, said in homage, they were sharing their “loving mom” with others in death as well as in life.
The sight of the Queen was greeted and applauded by mourners along the way, as her royal hearse arrived at a Windsor heaped with flowers.
Over the course of four days, a torrent of mourners streamed past the Queen’s casket while she lay in state.
As the procession approached the grounds of Windsor Castle, the Queen’s fell pony Emma, who was being carried by her stud groom and manager, stood a short distance away from the coffin.
Her two corgis, Muick and Sandy, who were presents from her son the Duke of York, were waiting in the courtyard of the royal home as the funeral procession passed.
The Queen was not only the head of state but also a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. As a special touch, the King had written a message by hand to go with the wreath that adorned her casket.
In loyal and loving remembrance, it read in the message. R. Charles
Charles asked for flowers and leaves to be cut from the grounds of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Highgrove in lieu of a wreath made of Balmoral flowers.