The queen's closed coffin will be covered in a flag, The Royal Standard, and will be on a raised platform called catafalque, with military guard — made up of the Sovereign's Bodyguard, Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London or the Household Division — standing at each of the four corners of the platform 24 hours a day.
The Queen's coffin now permanently resides inside the King George VI Memorial Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle. Her Majesty was buried during a private ceremony on Monday evening.
It also makes sure that the smell and any toxins from a dead body can't escape and harm the environment. A coffin must be sealed if it is for interment above ground, as will likely be the case for the Queen, who will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor Castle.
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.
In the case of a closed casket funeral, the body is usually not embalmed. Closed casket funerals generally tend to be cheaper than open casket funerals. Religion, culture, and personal choice are three key reasons why individuals choose closed casket funerals.
OPEN-CASKET FUNERAL ETIQUETTE
If they have an open casket viewing, make sure you follow proper funeral etiquette: DON'T touch the body under any circumstances. Sometimes the casket has a glass to prevent this from happening.
The body takes between ten to fifteen years to decay to a point where you may just find bones, teeth and hair remaining in the casket. There may also be some excess tissue and clothing fibers that withstood the ten years of decay.
En route from the hall to the abbey, the Queen's coffin was carried on a 123-year-old gun carriage as part of a procession led by the royal family, Palace guards and 138 Royal Navy sailors. They are known as the Sovereign's Guard and are in place to haul the carriage along with a white rope.
Royal Navy sailors have the honour of pulling the State Ceremonial Gun Carriage bearing the Queen's coffin for two miles through the streets of London – a duty they have performed since the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901.
After her funeral at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, the Queen's coffin will be transferred to Windsor Castle, which is about 20 miles outside of Central London. The Queen will be buried there as part of a long history of burials at the site, including 10 former sovereigns. St.
Her final resting place is the King George VI memorial chapel, a small annex to the main chapel - where her mother and father are buried, and where the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret, are kept.
The Lord Chamberlain poignantly "broke" his Wand of Office over the coffin, and placed the pieces there. Finally, the coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault, as the Dean of Windsor read Psalm 103, including the emotional line, "Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul."
The Queen's casket was topped with flowers picked from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House. Before the Queen's coffin was lowered into the royal vault in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, a crown, orb and sceptre were removed. Here's why they were taken off and what they mean.
The public will be able to file past the coffin 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday 14 September until 6.30am on the day of the funeral - Monday 19 September. Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight.
King Charles and other members of the Royal Family will walk behind the Queen's coffin before and after the funeral service at Westminster Abbey.
The favouring of sailors over horses during state funeral processions was entrenched in tradition after Queen Victoria's funeral in 1901 when chilly weather spooked the horses that were due to pull the gun carriage.
Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in an English oak coffin featuring brass handles that were designed more than 30 years ago, and lined with lead. It is estimated the coffin weighs between 250kg and 317kg.
The Queen's coffin (which was made thirty years ago) is thought to weigh anywhere between 250kg and 317kg, due to it being made from oak with brass fittings and lead lining – which is used to slow decomposition. This means an additional two pallbearers are needed to carry it.
Closed Casket Funerals: What You Need to Know. In a closed casket funeral, the casket remains closed during the viewing and the funeral service. Family members and guests are not able to see the body, and some prefer this option for a variety of reasons.
Coffins get tapered to conform to the shape of a human form. A coffin also has a removable lid while caskets have lids with hinges. Coffins are usually made out of wood and lined with cloth interiors. Unlike caskets, they do not have rails that make transportation easier.
Everyone can say their final “goodbye.” Allows friends and family members to kiss the deceased goodbye one last time. The family can hold the decedent's hand. Everyone can take comfort in seeing the deceased looking beautiful and at peace.
We don't remove them. You can use what is called an eye cap to put over the flattened eyeball to recreate the natural curvature of the eye. You can also inject tissue builder directly into the eyeball and fill it up. And sometimes, the embalming fluid will fill the eye to normal size.
Benefits of Open Casket
Allows friends and family members to kiss the deceased goodbye one last time. Everyone can take comfort in seeing the deceased looking beautiful and at peace. It can bring closure to close kin, knowing that the loved one is in peace.
During Queen Elizabeth II's committal service in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the Crown Jeweller removed the Imperial State Crown and the Orb and Sceptre from the Queen's coffin before it was lowered into the royal vault.