For years there have been plans to say a final farewell to Her Majesty and the Queen herself made sure to add her own personal touches to the service. The once-in-a-lifetime occasion, watched by millions around the world, is filled with historical symbolism, with a touching nod to the Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Here are some of the more personal touches of the day, included at the request of the Queen and her grieving family members. Crown The wreath that adorns the Queen’s coffin includes flowers requested by King Charles and a personal note to his mother. Flowers and foliage were cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House. They were chosen for their symbolism in a touching nod to the Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. They include rosemary, for remembrance, and myrtle cut from a plant grown from a sprig of myrtle in the Queen’s 1947 wedding bouquet. The myrtle is an ancient symbol of a happy marriage, while the English oak – also included in the wreath – symbolizes the power of love. Pelargonium, garden roses, autumn hydrangea, sedum, dahlias and scabious were included in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, to reflect the Royal Standard. At the King’s request, the wreath was made sustainably without using floral foam and instead using English moss and oak branches. Embedded in the wreath was a handwritten note from the King which read: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R”. MUSIC Much of the music at the Queen’s funeral was chosen for its “special significance” to the Queen, Westminster Abbey said. Many of the selections also have a long association with the Abbey. Among the hymns is The Lord’s My Shepherd, sung at the wedding of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the historic venue in 1947. Another hymn, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, is sung in a composition first heard at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011. And the hymn, O Taste and See, was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Queen’s coronation at the Abbey in 1953. Mr Vaughan Williams’ ashes are buried in the north choir aisle of the church. Reveille, the national anthem and a lament, played by the Queen’s Piper, brought the state funeral to a close. The Queen had requested that her piper, policeman Paul Burns, play at the service. Turned off the service playing Sleep, Dearie, Sleep. Jewelry Several members of the royal family, dressed in black, wore symbolic jewelry to pay homage to Her Majesty. In a touching nod to her great-grandmother, Princess Charlotte is wearing a horseshoe brooch gifted to her by the Queen. The silver badge, pinned to the seven-year-old’s long coat, represents one of the Queen’s greatest loves, horses. Princess Charlotte wears a horseshoe pin. Credit: AP Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, was a lifelong horseman – a passion he passed on to his daughter. Her Majesty also continued to have an abiding passion for horse riding and racing, with her racehorse, Appreciation, winning the coveted Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013. She passed her love of horses on to her daughter, Princess Royal, who became Britain’s first royal to compete in the Olympics. He rode the Queen’s horse, Goodwill, at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. And her daughter, Zara Tindall, followed in her mother’s footsteps by competing in the same three-day equestrian event at the 2012 London Olympics. State weapon The Queen’s coffin, placed in the state carriage, was taken in procession to Westminster Abbey. Credit: AP The Queen’s coffin was carried from New Palace Yard to Westminster Abbey in the state gun carriage, in a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s funeral. The 123-year-old carriage in which the Queen’s coffin was placed was towed by 98 Royal Navy sailors. It has also been used in the past for the funerals of King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Winston Churchill, Lord Mountbatten and Princess Diana.
