After 10 days of national mourning for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, a state funeral was held for Queen Elizabeth II. A carriage procession took Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, draped in the Royal Standard, and topped by the Imperial Crown and other regalia, from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey on Monday. A wreath sat on top of the coffin during the procession and service, which Buckingham Palace says has significant meaning. At the request of King Charles III, the palace says the wreath contains flowers and foliage cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House. In a statement released on Monday ahead of the funeral, Buckingham Palace said the foliage was chosen “for its symbolism”. The wreath includes rosemary “for remembrance” and myrtle, which is “the ancient symbol of a happy marriage.” The palace noted that this was cut from a plant that grew from a sprig of myrtle in the Queen’s wedding bouquet in 1947. The wreath also contains English oak, which “symbolises the power of love”. Fragrant pelargoniums are also included in the wreath. garden roses; autumn hydrangea; sedum? dahlias; and scabies. The foliage is all presented in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, to reflect the Royal Standard on which it sits, the palace says. “Again at Her Majesty’s request, the wreath is made in a completely sustainable way, in a nest of English moss and oak branches, and without the use of floral foam,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. A handwritten card from King Charles III could be seen nestled in the wreath. It reads, “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.” Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand since 1952, died on September 8. He was 96 years old. Following the state funeral, the carriage will carry the Queen’s coffin through central London to Wellington Arch, where it will then be transferred to hearses en route to Windsor Castle. He will be buried there at the King George VI Memorial in a private family ceremony.
