The Imperial State Crown, the Sovereign's Sceptre and the Sovereign's Orb were each placed atop the Queen's coffin for the State Funeral, which featured services at both Westminster Abbey in London and St. George's chapel at Windsor Castle.
During yesterday's historic committal service, which saw Queen Elizabeth II laid to rest, the Crown Jewels – the Imperial State Crown adorned with over 3,000 gemstones, the Sovereign's Orb and Sceptre – were lifted from the late monarch's coffin by the Crown Jeweller.
The crown that rests on top of the Queen's coffin is the Imperial State Crown. It was made for the coronation of the Queen's father, King George VI in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria.
'With more than 100 objects and 23,000 gemstones [in the Crown Jewels], they are an almost priceless collection, having no official valuation as the royal family could never consider selling them, but some experts believe they could worth between £3 billion to £5 billion, or even more,' says Noel Summerfield, head of ...
What happens to the pieces after the funeral? They won't stay with Queen Elizabeth II after the funeral or her burial. According to The Telegraph, they will be removed “in the final moments before the public sees its last images of the monarch's coffin” during her service in St. George's Chapel.
The centrepiece of the British monarchy's crown jewels is St Edward's crown. Owing to its historical significance it is considered priceless, and therefore cannot be insured.
As Royal Family members are buried inside a chamber, rather than directly in the ground, their coffins are lined with lead in order to slow decomposition.
Several traditional accouterments were present during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral service at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday, including the Imperial State Crown as well as the Sovereign's Sceptre and the Sovereign's Orb, which were also placed atop the late monarch's coffin.
No, Queen Elizabeth II was not laid to rest in the Royal Vault, though her coffin rested there temporarily for a few hours before being moved to its final resting place – the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which is also inside St George's Chapel – so very near the Royal Vault.
The crown, orb and sceptre symbolise the monarch's power and governance and so its removal separated the Queen from her crown for the last time following her 70-year reign. The Imperial State Crown was the crown she wore when she left Westminster Abbey after her coronation.
What happens after the funeral? After the funeral in Westminster, the Queen's coffin will be transferred to Windsor Castle, where there will be a committal service in St George's Chapel. She will be buried in the castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel, alongside her father, her mother, and her sister's ashes.
The orb was kept steady by a small spike on its bottom that fit into a discreet mounting on top of the coffin's oak surface. The crown sat atop a purple pillow, a seemingly precarious spot that was stabilised by a firm protruding section on which the monarch's headwear was mounted.
I think it was a practical move in that Mary I was originally in that spot, so Elizabeth's coffin could be added on top and then the tomb built over the vault. With regards to why there is no effigy for Mary I, I would think that was because Mary had died over forty years ago and had only reigned for five years.
The pallbearers hail from the Queen's Company, the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. 'It's their role to protect her body, both in life and in death, remaining in the Queen's Company until King Charles decides otherwise,' explained Major Adrian Weale to the PA.
The King and his two sons reunited to walk behind the Queen's coffin as she left Buckingham Palace for the last time. King Charles, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex accompanied the monarch on the journey to Westminster Hall for her lying in state.
Like the sceptres, The Sovereign's Orb is a significant part of the traditional coronation regalia. The golden, jeweled ball, surmounted by a gem-encrusted cross, is designed as a symbol that the monarch's power is derived from God. As with the sceptres, it was created in 1661.
The sentimental pieces that will stay with the late monarch forever are revealed. The Queen was buried with a small handful of her most treasured and personal jewellery .
After the outer portion of the coffin was crafted, it was lined with lead. The royal family has long opted for such coffins as the lead aids in the preservation of the body by preventing moisture from building up in the coffin and keeping it airtight.
As for who those pallbearers are, the group is made up of eight 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, some of whom were flown back from their placement in Iraq to carry out the duty. The Grenadier Guard – whose company commander was the Queen – is the most senior, regular Army regiment and dates back to 1656.
The Swan Lake necklace was named after Princess Diana, who wore it to the ballet at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1997 shortly before her tragic death, and it became the most valuable piece in her extensive jewellery collection.
There are strict rules surrounding the crown jewels, and only three people in the world are allowed to touch them: the current monarch (that's now King Charles III), the Archbishop of Canterbury and the crown jeweler. For more than 800 years, the crown jewels have lived in the Tower of London.
The Imperial State Crown
For Saturday's coronation, it's been sent to royal jewelers Garrard & Co., who will ensure it is perfect. emeralds and 5 rubies — that is it the most expensive item in the Crown Jewels and is said to be worth $6.2 billion.
The Prince Regent entered the vault accompanied by the Duke of Cumberland, Count Munster, the Dean of Windsor, Benjamin Charles Stevenson, and Sir Henry Halford. The pall was removed to reveal a plain lead coffin inscribed with the name of King Charles and the year of his death.
A future biography of Her Majesty authored by a close friend of Prince Philip stated that the Queen had bone marrow cancer, with bone pain being the most prevalent symptom. The remarks concerning her health problems were made in Gyles Brandreth's planned book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait.
However, Her Majesty will be buried in her beloved Windsor, in the King George VI memorial chapel. The chapel is set on the grounds of Windsor Castle, the estate the Queen moved to permanently for the last few years of her life. It is named after the Queen's father, who died from a coronary thrombosis in 1952, aged 56.