Queen Elizabeth II laid to rest at Windsor Castle: 10 Points

International

oi-Prakash KL

London, Sep 20: Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has been lowered into the royal vault at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, at the conclusion of her committal service.

The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the British royal household, broke a rod known as the “wand of office” as the royal family and hundreds of mourners bid a final farewell to the late monarch.

The funeral for the late queen, who died aged 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland, was held at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of thousands of guests and millions watching on screens worldwide. Among those in attendance included US President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden as well as President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.

The Queen’s funeral in 10 points:

• After an epic journey by road and air since she passed away peacefully aged 96 in Scotland on September 8, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin concluded its final journey to Windsor Castle for a Committal Service and private burial at St George’s Chapel on Monday evening.

• The roughly 40-km route by road from Westminster Abbey in London, the site of a grand state funeral attended by thousands earlier in the day, to Windsor included the coffin processing by state gun carriage and then in the state hearse, a customised Jaguar, to the steps of the chapel.

• Much of the music at the Committal Service has been composed by Sir William Harris, who served as the Organist at St. George’s Chapel between 1933 and 1961 and much of the Queen’s childhood. The young Princess Elizabeth is said to have often visited the Organ Loft to watch him play, and it is believed he taught her to play the piano.

• Prior to the final hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the orb and the sceptre – known as the Instruments of State – were removed from the coffin by the Crown Jeweller and, with the Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, passed to the Dean who placed them on the Altar.

• At the end of the final Hymn, King Charles III placed the Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. At the same time, the Lord Chamberlain – the most senior officer of the royal household – made the ceremonial gesture to “break” his “Wand of Office” and place it on the coffin.

• This, the palace said, is to create a symmetry with the three Instruments of State that have been removed. The Camp Colour and the broken wand are both to be buried with the coffin.

• The coffin was then lowered into the Royal Vault as the Dean of Windsor read from ‘Psalm 103’ – which includes the traditional line, ‘Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul’.

• The Sovereign’s Piper played a “Lament” entitled ‘A Salute to the Royal Fendersmith’ as the final fade away music. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, pronounced the final blessing which was followed by the singing of the national anthem, ‘God Save The King’, marking the conclusion of the Committal Service and the public aspect of the funeral service.

• The King and senior members of the royal family then departed for the private burial ceremony, which will see the Queen’s coffin buried with that of her late husband, Prince Philip, in the King George VI Memorial Chapel – an enclave at the historic chapel on the late monarch’s Windsor estate.

• The funeral service for Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was conducted at the same chapel in April last year. Other members of Queen Elizabeth II’s family also lie buried there, including her mother – also Elizabeth, father King George VI, and sister Princess Margaret.