How Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral Wreath Honored Her Wedding to Prince Philip

For the funeral service held for Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, Her Majesty's coffin included a wreath atop that held significant meaning—an ode to her union with Prince Philip.

By Kisha Forde Sep 19, 2022 10:42 AMTags
Watch: Queen Elizabeth II's Coffin Begins Its Final Journey

An arrangement fit for a Queen.
 
Queen Elizabeth II's life was commemorated in a funeral service held at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19. (You can watch here). As the Queen's coffin was escorted from its previous temporary home at Westminster Hall, where she remained during her lying in state period, mourners around the world noticed a notable floral arrangement alongside her crown, scepter, and orb that sat atop her casket.
 
Per Buckingham Palace, the wreath represents a significant amount of history to the late monarch and was arranged at the request of her eldest son, King Charles III. Among the flowers included, a few stems are an ode to her long marriage to Prince Philip. (Her Majesty was married to Philip for 73 years before he died in April 2021 at the age of 99).

"At His Majesty The King's request, the wreath contains flowers and foliage cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House," a statement from Buckingham Palace confirmed. "This includes foliage chosen for its symbolism."

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Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Funeral

"Rosemary for remembrance; Myrtle, the ancient symbol of a happy marriage, and cut from a plant that was grown from a sprig of myrtle in Her Late Majesty's wedding bouquet in 1947," the statement continued. "And English oak, which symbolizes the strength of love."

Also included in the arrangement are "scented pelargoniums; garden roses; autumnal hydrangea; sedum; dahlias; and scabious, all in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, to reflect the Royal Standard, on which it sits."
 
As Buckingham Palace noted, per His Majesty's request, the wreath "is made in a totally sustainable way, in a nest of English moss and oak branches, and without the use of floral foam."

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

At the time of Philip's passing, Prince Harry shared his thoughts on his grandparents' everlasting relationship. 

"The two of them together were just the most adorable couple," he said in the 2021 documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers. "I don't know if anyone's ever described them as adorable but, to me, knowing the cheekiness of him and knowing that behind what the world sees you have two individuals who were very much in love, and both at a very young age dedicated both of their lives to service. The places these two travelled, the things they saw, the experiences they went through. That is an incredible bond between two people."
 
Following her funeral service, Queen Elizabeth will be buried alongside her husband, her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and sister Princess Margaret at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

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