King Charles III made sure that the flowers on Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin had a special meaning.
The royal family tweeted early Monday that the new monarch asked for the wreath to contain symbolic flowers, including flowers from her bridal bouquet from her wedding to Prince Philip.
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“At the king’s request, the wreath contains leaves of rosemary, English oak and myrtle (cut from a plant grown from myrtle in the queen’s bridal bouquet) and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with accents of white , carved from the gardens of Royal Residences,” read the tweet.
The wreath, as well as her crown and scepter, were placed atop the coffin as it made its way from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey, where it lay in the center of the chapel. A note with an illegible message was also placed in the wreath.
The Queen married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947 in front of 2,000 people.
“When asked what I think of family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction: I’m for it,” she said on the couple’s anniversary in 1972. She also called the late Duke of Edinburgh a “constant power and guide.”
The couple were married until April 9, 2021, when Philip died at the age of 99 at Windsor Castle.
“It is with deep sadness that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the passing of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” Buckingham Palace announced on Twitter at the time.
King Charles and Queen Consort Camila, followed by Kate Middleton and Prince William, followed the coffin into the abbey after a royal procession from Westminster Hall. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also joined the procession, following Prince George and Princess Charlotte.