The sentimental story behind the wreath placed on Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin during her funeral in Windsor

King Charles III, the new monarch in the UK, was seen getting rather emotional during the funeral services of his mother Queen Elizabeth II — the longest-reigning British monarch in hory — who was laid to rest on Monday, September 19, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
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The service was attended her family members and other dignitaries from around the world, as thousands of people took to the streets to watch the procession and a million others witnessed the horic event on their television screens.

Many sentimental details about the way her coffin was decked and presented before the final goode have emerged, one of which has to do with the wreath of flowers that was placed on top of it.
King Charles III and members of the Royal family follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre. (Danny Lawson/Pool Photo via AP)
According to reports, the wreath honoured the love the late queen had for her husband of 73 years Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away at the age of 99 in April 2021. The funeral commenced at London’s Westminster Abbey and the coffin was seen draped in the Royal Standard. On top of it, the Imperial State Crown, orb, and sceptre, along with a wreath of flowers chosen Charles himself were placed.

The wreath is said to have included flowers and foliage taken from the gardens of three royal properties: Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Charles’ country home, Highgrove House.
The floral arrangement, which went down with the coffin as it was lowered to the ground inside the King George VI Memorial Chapel, included rosemary, which is used for remembrance, and myrtle, which is considered to be a symbol of ‘happy marriage’. According to a Glamour magazine report, it was cut from a plant “grown from a sprig of myrtle” which was originally a part of the queen’s wedding bouquet in 1947.

Per the report, Charles — who naturally misses his “mummy” — also made sure to feature the rare English oak that represents the strength of love, with pelargoniums, garden roses, autumnal hydrangea, sedum, dahlias and scabious.
A note from Britain’s King Charles III is seen with flowers on the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard, on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy in London. (Daniel Leal/Pool Photo via AP)
In a final personal touch, the king left a handwritten note for his mother. While its contents are not known, two lines read, “In loving and devoted memory, Charles R.” The ‘R’ refers to ‘Rex’, which is Latin for ‘king’, which will be the new monarchy initials — ‘CR’, taking over from Elizabeth Regina ‘ER’.
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