The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, then broke his 'Wand of Office', signifying the end of his service to the sovereign, and placed it on the casket which then slowly descended into the royal vault.
The Wand of Office is ceremonially broken at a monarch's funeral and it signifies the end of the Lord Chamberlain's service to the Queen as sovereign. The ceremonial gesture dates back centuries, last performed more than 70 years ago when the Earl of Clarendon broke his staff over the grave of George VI.
What does the breaking of the wand mean? The ceremonial breaking of the white staff signifies the end of the Lord Chamberlain's service to the Queen as sovereign. The "breaking of the wand" is a traditional part of a sovereign's funeral, but this was the first time it had been seen by the public.
The Lord Chamberlain — Lord Parker of Minsmere, who once served as head of MI5 — took part in the ceremonial breaking of the wand to signify the end of his service to the Queen as sovereign. The wand was then placed above the Queen's coffin and will be buried with the monarch.
Why does the Lord Chamberlain 'break' it? At the end of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, The Lord Chamberlain, Lord Andrew Parker, symbolically broke the Wand of Office and place it on her coffin. This signified the end of his service to the Queen as sovereign.
Lord Chamberlain, Andrew Parker, will symbolically break his wand of office at the Queen's funeral.
Also known as the “breaking of the stick”, the action marks the end of the lord chamberlain's service to the monarch. King Charles will duly appoint a lord chamberlain of his own, who will receive a new wand of office.
The 'Wand of Office' is a ceremonial tool of the Lord Chamberlain, once used to 'discipline' people in the monarch's court. Its breaking signifies the end of his service to the monarch.
“At the end of the final Hymn, The King will place The Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty's Coffin. At the same time, The Lord Chamberlain will "break" his Wand of Office and place it on the Coffin. The burial will only take place this evening, following the funeral.
Prince Harry didn't salute alongside other family members at the Queen's funeral. King Charles III, his siblings, and Prince William saluted during a procession ahead of the service. Harry wasn't able to salute because he was stripped of his military titles.
The lord chamberlain is the second dignitary of the court. On ceremonial occasions he carries a white staff and wears a golden or jeweled key representing the key of the palace, which is supposed to be in his care. He does, in fact, control the state apartments at Windsor Castle and at St. James's Palace.
These insignia are returned to the monarch when the Lord Chamberlain retires from office; but if the monarch dies, the white staff is symbolically broken by the Lord Chamberlain and placed on the coffin of the deceased Sovereign at the end of the State Funeral service.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley has lost his job as Lord Great Chamberlain. Several titles and positions within the Royal Family and Crown ministers have changed as King Charles III ascends to the throne. One of which, being the Lord Great Chamberlain.
'Breaking the stick' or 'breaking the wand' is the final symbolic act to take place at a British monarch's funeral, signifying the official end of the Lord Chamberlain's service to the King or Queen.
Thank you for subscribing! The Lord Chamberlain holds the most senior officer role in the Royal Household. The current Lord Chamberlain is Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, who was appointed by the Queen in April 2021.
The Wand of Office is a thin white staff, owned by Lord Chamberlin, which was once meant to be a device used to discipline courtiers if they were too rowdy.
The three relics that rested on the Queen's coffin make up part of the Crown Jewels and date back as far as the 1600s – when the Stuarts were on the throne.
Following the service, the Queen's coffin will now make its way to Windsor, where she will be buried with her beloved late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. The coffin will be taken to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, as members of the public watch on, before it is taken to Windsor Castle.
These objects represent the responsibilities and governance of the monarch, so their removal separated the Queen from her crown for the final time. The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross has been used at every coronation since Charles II's in 1661.
The Sovereign's Orb and the Sovereign's Sceptre With Cross will be placed on top of the casket. The orb is presented to British monarchs during their coronation.
The Queen's coffin was carried on the State Gun Carriage. The tradition of sailors pulling the coffin was brought in after the horses used to pull Queen Victoria's coffin in 1901 for her funeral were spooked and almost tipped her coffin.
A thin white staff or "wand" is the traditional emblem of certain Great Officers of State and high-ranking officials of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom, namely: Great Officers of State: The Lord High Steward. The Lord Great Chamberlain.
The Queen has appointed Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, as Lord Chamberlain to succeed Lord Peel, who will retire on 31st March. Lord Parker will take up his appointment on 1st April 2021.
A broken wand ceremony is a ritual performed at or shortly before the funeral of a magician, in which a wand – either the wand which the magician used in performances, or a ceremonial one – is broken, indicating that with the magician's death, the wand has lost its magic.
Broken wands generally cannot be repaired; the only known way is for the wand to be magically restored by the Elder Wand.