Royal & Imperial Mourning Customs & Funerals
Westminster Abbey, an awesome building for royal funerals, royal tombs, marriages and coronations plus a magnificent place to host Poets' Corner. The Abbey is the burial place for 3,300 people including; Edward I and his wife; Eleanor of Castile; Edward III and his wife, Philippa of Hainault; Henry V, sometimes seen as the greatest ever King of England; Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. In total, 17 monarchs are buried in Westminster Abbey. Added to that there are 600 memorials including for such geniuses as William Shakespeare and Charles Darwin.I rarely use the word awesome in my blog but in this case it is highly appropriate. It was constructed to be awesome and inside it is guaranteed to take your breath away. Although, linked to Edward the Confessor in the 11th century, the church you see today replaced Edward’s impressive building beginning in 1245 and was largely constructed by Henry III and later kings.
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King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, Princess Christina of Sweden attend the funeral of King Constantine II of Greece at the Metropolis Cathedral on 16 January 2023 in Athens, Greece. King Constantine II passed away on January 10, 2023.
In het bijzijn van naaste familie en vrienden wordt prins Friso vanmiddag begraven in Lage Vuursche. De begraafplaats naast de Stulpkerk ligt op een…
Funeral of Lord Mountbatten
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands attends the funeral of King Constantine II of Greece at the Metropolis Cathedral on 16 January 2023 in Athens, Greece. King Constantine II passed away on January 10, 2023.
King Wilhem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands attend the funeral of King Constantine II of Greece at the Metropolis Cathedral on 16 January 2023 in Athens, Greece. King Constantine II passed away on January 10, 2023.
Her Majesty's cousins and distant relatives came together to say a final farewell to the monarch today - including Prince Michael of Kent and the Duke of Kent.
Her Majesty The Queen and a host of royals attended today's Service of Thanksgiving for The Life of The Duke of Edinburgh. The event was at Westminster Abbey, where the Duke married then Princess Elizabeth in 1947. And where the couple celebrated their Silver, Gold, and Diamond wedding anniversaries. Below, at the 2007 service. The Duke's last service at Westminster Abbey was for Commonwealth Day in April 2017. The Queen could not attend this year's Commonwealth service because of health issues. There was substantial concern she would not be well enough to attend today's service. More from the BBC. It was the first major event this year attended by the 95-year-old monarch, who travelled by car from Windsor Castle with Prince Andrew. There had been doubts she would attend, and she only made the final decision in the hours before the service. Today the Queen entered the Abbey via the Poet's Corner entrance, making for a shorter walk. A video. The Queen arrives at thanksgiving service in memory of her husband, Prince Philiphttps://t.co/B5aqbhudKV pic.twitter.com/aiXF4EgXTQ — BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 29, 2022 We'll look at other arrivals before getting to the service itself—the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. A video of the Cambridge family arriving. TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/Yjp3tkDO3q — Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) March 29, 2022 Another view of the Duchess with Princess Charlotte. Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children, Lady Louise & James, Viscount Severn. Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Zara and Mike Tindall with daughter Mia. Peter Phillips with daughters Savannah and Isla. In some of the photos, you can see Duke of Edinburgh gold award winners lining the entry to Westminster Abbey. Below, Princess Margaret's son, the Earl of Snowdon, and his children, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones and Charles Armstrong-Jones. Princess Margaret's daughter, Lady Sarah Chatto (R), and her husband, Daniel Chatto. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Lady Susan Hussey, a lady in waiting to the Queen. NOTE: This photo was originally labeled as being Princess Alexandra, which was an error on my part. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, a first cousin to the Queen, and his daughter-in-law, the Countess of St. Andrews. Flora Ogilvy and her husband, Timothy Vesterberg. Ms. Ogilvy is the granddaughter of Princess Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth's first cousin, making her the Queen's first cousin twice removed. The Duke's daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, with her son, Cassius. Prince and Princess Michael. Their son, Lord Frederick Windsor, and his wife, Sophie Winkleman. Lord Frederick's younger sister, Lady Gabriella Windsor, and her husband, Thomas Kingston. (Some may remember our coverage of their May 2019 wedding.) Sweden's Queen Silvia and King Carl Gustaf. Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium. Prince Albert of Monaco (L), Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain. From the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix, Queen Máxima, and King Willem-Alexander. Greece's Crown Prince Pavlos, Crown Princess Marie-Chantal, and former Queen Anne-Marie. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain. Serbia's Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic and Crown Princess Katherine. Today's Order of Service. The Duke's friend and biographer Gyles Brandeth suggests today's date was selected because it is ....the anniversary of the Battle of Cape Matapan in 1941 during WWII when Prince Philip was serving on HMS Valiant..... Portions of the service incorporated features planned for last April's funeral that couldn't be included because of COVID restrictions. The flowers were shades of red, white, and blue. They included white orchids, which were part of Princess Elizabeth's bouquet on her wedding day, and blue sea holly to represent his career – in the Second World War and beyond – in the Royal Navy. We now move inside the Abbey. Below, HM as she walks to her seat. A wide shot inside the Abbey. Almost 1800 invited guests attended today's service. It was quite a change from last April's funeral service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor. More about the service from Sky TV. The 95-year-old monarch was deeply involved in planning the service, which included hymns and tributes from the charities Philip supported. Such touches weren’t permitted during his funeral last year due to pandemic control measures. The Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Anne. More about the service from Buckingham Palace. The Service will in particular pay tribute to The Duke of Edinburgh’s contribution to public life and steadfast support for the over 700 charitable organisations with which His Royal Highness was associated throughout his life. ,,,the congregation will include over 500 representatives of The Duke of Edinburgh’s patronages and charities, reflecting the breadth of causes and charitable interests championed by His Royal Highness, and as a tribute to those who continue his work. Other guests at the Service will include representatives from UK Government, the Armed Forces and the Devolved Administrations, Realm High Commissioners, representatives of Overseas Territories, representatives from The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Household, representatives from The Duke’s Regimental Affiliations in the UK and the Commonwealth, as well as the clergy and other faiths. More from The Telegraph's coverage. The Duke of Edinburgh’s service of thanksgiving marked an emotional moment for the Royal family that had been a long time coming. For the Queen, it was the memorial service that had the special touches she had wanted at Prince Philip's funeral, which were denied to her by Covid restrictions. Standing to take part in the ceremony despite her evident frailty, the sadness in her eyes was plain to see. A brief video. Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family attend the Thanksgiving Service for HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was the longest serving Prince Consort for a British monarch and The Queen's beloved husband for over seven decades. @RoyalFamily @wabbey pic.twitter.com/xjVvfR48xu — BBC Studios Events Productions (@BBCS_Events) March 29, 2022 Doyin Sonibare, a Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze, Silver, and Gold award holder, spoke of the awards' impact on her life. More from this AP story: Also wearing green was Doyin Sonibare, 28, who won top honors from the Duke of Edinburgh Award, created by Philip to teach young people confidence and life skills through outdoor activities and community service. More than 6.7 million teenagers and young adults have taken part in the program since 1956. Sonibare delivered the primary tribute to Philip, thanking him for creating a program that gave her the tools she needed to get her first job, go on to university and now study for a Ph.D. in sickle cell research. We return to the AP article. The culmination of the program is an overnight expedition, something that frightened a teenager from East London who had never been camping before and had a fear of climbing steep hills. “I kept thinking I was going to trip up, roll down the mountain and it’s lights out for Doyin,” she said. “Fortunately for me, that didn’t happen. … I remember thinking to myself, if I could complete this expedition, I can do anything; even though at the time I was 18 and unsure about my future.” HM spoke with Ms. Sonibare after the service. More about The Queen's reaction to the tribute from this Evening Standard piece. The Queen stopped to speak to Ms Sonibare at the end of the service, with the monarch smiling broadly as she expressed her appreciation for her speech. Ms Sonibare said “She thanked me for my speech - she was lovely, really kind. And she asked what I did for my Duke of Edinburgh’s award.” Dean of Windsor David Conner delivered the address. More from the BBC's coverage. Dean of Windsor David Conner - a long-time friend of Prince Philip who also conducted his funeral - told the congregation at this service that the duke's life bore the marks of sacrifice and service. Certainly, he could show great sympathy and kindness. There is no doubt that he had a delightfully engaging, and often self-deprecating, sense of humour. It is quite clear that his mind held together both speculation and common sense. Moreover, nobody would ever doubt his loyalty and deep devotion to our Queen and to their family. HM. Prince Philip expressed a desire to have clergy from the Royal Estates of Windsor, Sandringham, and Balmoral be part of the funeral service, but that was not possible last April because of Covid restrictions. Today they all took part in prayers. Let us give thanks for his service as Consort, liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship to Her Majesty; for his devotion to family, to Nation and to Commonwealth; for his strength and constancy. The service ended with the national anthem. I honestly don’t know how people can say the National Anthem is uninspiring. pic.twitter.com/RzMwJ8HLJo — Simon Harley (@simonharley) March 29, 2022 And now, a few images as guests thanked participants. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prince of Wales. Princess Charlotte. She had a smile for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. Prince George. Following is a series of images of guests leaving the Abbey. (In no particular order.) Queen Margrethe of Denmark and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Máxima, and King Willem-Alexander behind them. The Cambridge family. Prince Edward and Lady Louise. Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi; on the right, Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. Lady Amelia Windsor. Today's only in-depth apparel coverage involves the dark green worn by many attending the service. From left to right: the Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, Queen Letizia, and Princess Beatrix. Hello offers a possible explanation for the number of women in deep green. Shunning traditional black garments, the senior royals instead paid a subtle tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green. The symbolic choice was a fitting way to remember the Queen's late husband as the colour was used over the years for things like his staff liveries and private cars, including the driving carriage at his funeral last April. The shade could also celebrate his long-standing association with the Rifles Regiment, who wear a green uniform. I thought we would look at some of the jewelry worn by the women today, as most had on pieces with sentimental ties. We begin with HM, who wore a brooch given to her by Prince Philip. More from The Telegraph. Few among us could fail to be moved by an image of the Queen standing at Prince Philip’s memorial service today, wearing a brooch he gave her in 1966. Clothes fade or break and handbags go in and out of fashion - but jewellery endures and becomes an important way of remembering those who have died. This scarab brooch in particular is weighted with emotion for the Queen and has become a symbol of her 73-year marriage. Designed by prolific royal jeweller Andrew Grima - who won the then newly founded Duke of Edinburgh award for design - it is made out of yellow gold with a large ruby at the heart, which is accented with carved ruby and diamond embellishments. Prince Philip gave it to her in 1966 and she has worn it on numerous occasions throughout her reign: most notably at times when she wants to signify her commitment to and love of her husband. The Duchess of Cornwall wore the Bugle Horn brooch that is used as the cap badge of The Rifles and is worn by every Rifleman today, per The Evening Standard's coverage. She became the Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles in 2020, succeeding Prince Philip. You see the Bugle Horn on the left and a pendant also worn by the Duchess. On the right, one of the Collingwood diamond and pearl earrings that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. They were worn by the Duchess of Cambridge today. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and son James, Viscount Severn in the background. The Court Jeweller reports she wore her modern diamond scroll earrings and her diamond rose brooch for the service, plus a diamond cross necklace. Below, the brooch and an earring, and on the right, Princess Anne's brooch, described as having a shield, sail, and flag details in its design, per The Court Jeweller. Here you see Lady Louise, now 18, as she leaves the Abbey. We return to The Court Jeweller, who notes she wore heart-shaped diamond earrings and a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. She also wore her carriage driving brooch, the same jewel she wore for her grandfather's funeral last year. (They shared a love for the sport.). The Court Jeweller also notes Lady Louise wore heart-shaped diamond earrings and a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. She also wore her carriage-driving brooch, the same jewel she wore for her grandfather's funeral last year. (They shared a love for the sport.). There are some lovely photos of the Cambridge family. Very briefly, the Duchess wore a dress by Alessandra Rich, Lock and Company's 'Mayer Boater' hat (with thanks to @KatiesRoyalLove), with Gianvito Rossi pumps. She carried her Russell & Bromley' Curvy' clutch and what looks like Cornelia James gloves, either the Imogen or Alice style. If looking for more details on what Kate wore, Charlotte has them at HRH Duchess Kate, as well as Elizabeth at Kate's Closet and Carly at Kate Middleton Style. For what the children wore, Found by Bojana is a great resource. A wave from HM as she leaves the Abbey. VIDEOS: The Royal Family posted a 2-minute review of the Duke's contributions and accomplishments. Today at Westminster Abbey, guests will gather to celebrate the life of The Duke of Edinburgh. The Service will give thanks for HRH’s dedication to family, Nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy. — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2022 Duke of Edinburgh holder Doyin Sonibare speaks about the meaning of the awards. Doyin Sonibare, who holds Bronze, Silver and Gold @DofE Awards, today gave a tribute to The Duke of Edinburgh, recognising the impact of the Award on young people across the globe.#ThankYouSirpic.twitter.com/ZK4N8VUtbi — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2022 A video by Outward Bound, one of the Duke's patronages. As we remember HRH the Duke of Edinburgh on the day of his memorial service we hope this video will highlight the amazing legacy his support has on the young people who come to #OutwardBound. You can donate to the our Prince Philip Memorial Fund here:https://t.co/6x09lFYQj0 pic.twitter.com/rXggRFmR47 — outwardbounduk (@OutwardBoundUK) March 29, 2022
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