Millions of people around the world watched as Lance Sergeant Alex Turner, Lance Corporal Tony Flynn, Lance Sergeant Elias Orlowski, Guardsman Fletcher Cox, Guardsman James Patterson, Lance Sergeant Ryan Griffiths, Guardsman Luke Simpson, and Guardsman David Sanderson carried out their duty.
The history behind the Queen's hologram
The eight men are from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards which had a close connection with the Queen who held the position of company commander. At the time the British Army said the "very best soldiers" were chosen to carry out this solemn duty.
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.
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.
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.
The pallbearers were chosen from the Grenadier Guards because of their duty to the monarch and their ranking as one of the most senior regiments. "It's their role to protect her body, both in life and in death, remaining the Queen's Company until King Charles decides otherwise.
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.
Lead-lined coffins slow the body's decomposition by keeping moisture out of the casket. Lead does not decay and so remains airtight, preventing decomposition, but also any smells and gases from being released; not something you want if multiple Royals are sharing a vault or may be moved in the future.
Due to the lead lining of the coffin, the casket would be very heavy. It has been estimated that it would weigh between 250kg and 317kg. Eight military bearers have been selected to carry the Queen's coffin on the day of her funeral.
“Coffins are normally sealed by screwing the lid into the sides but that does not form an airtight seal. “The modern process would be to zinc-line [the coffin]. Zinc is much thinner than lead, and more malleable.
They were chosen alongside loyal royal household staff and members of the Metropolitan Police in recognition of their service to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The honours list also featured members of the RAF flight crew who transported the Queen's coffin from Scotland to London.
Queen's pallbearers awarded Royal Victorian Medal for service during funeral. The eight pallbearers who carried the Queen's coffin have been awarded the silver Royal Victoria Medal in recognition of the important role they played at her funeral.
Soldier Queen coffin: Soldier Jack Burnell-Williams, who walked beside Queen Elizabeth II's coffin, found dead at army barracks - The Economic Times.
The eight pallbearers who carried the Queen's coffin have been awarded the silver Royal Victorian Medal in recognition of the important role they played at her funeral.
Soldier Queen coffin: Soldier Jack Burnell-Williams, who walked beside Queen Elizabeth II's coffin, found dead at army barracks - The Economic Times.
The eight pallbearers who carried Queen Elizabeth II's coffin have been awarded the silver Royal Victorian Medal in recognition of the important role they played at her funeral. The soldiers were named as recipients of honours under the Royal Victorian Order in recognition of their service to the queen.
Official gifts are not the private property of the Member of The Royal Family who receives them but are instead received in an official capacity in the course of official duties in support of, and on behalf of The Queen.
Her funeral last year culminated in a committal service and private burial at the King George VI Memorial Chapel (part of St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle) in the evening. The Queen was buried alongside her mother, father and sister.
pallbearer. noun. pall·bear·er ˈpȯl-ˌbar-ər. -ˌber- : a person who helps to carry the coffin at a funeral.
Elizabeth I was buried in Westminster Abbey in a tomb shared with her rival and half-sister Mary I.
Caskets, be they of metal or wood, are sealed so that they protect the body. The sealing will keep the elements, air, and moisture from getting inside the coffin.
A rather large overstuffed pillow is included in the interior package of a finished casket. This pillow helps to hold the decedent in an inclined position. This position helps present a naturally comforting presentation to the survivors.
To Protect the Corpse from Being Stolen. Snatching dead bodies was common in many parts of England and Scotland in the early 1800s. Therefore, graves were always dug six feet deep to prevent body snatchers from gaining access to the buried remains.
However, on average, a body buried within a typical coffin usually starts to break down within a year, but takes up to a decade to fully decompose, leaving only the skeleton, Daniel Wescott, director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University, told Live Science.