With a 70 year reign and 20 year funeral plan, saying a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II was always bound to be poignant.
And as is the tradition that comes with the royals, the ceremony understandably reminded royal observers of aristocratic funerals that came before Her Majesty’s.
William and Harry walk behind The Queen’s coffin.
(Image: Getty)While Prince Philip’s service perhaps remains an outlier due to the social distancing rules in place at the time, as a result of COVID-19, the late monarch’s service bore some striking similarities to Princess Diana’s 1997 funeral.
One subtle detail many fans noticed was the card laid on the wreath atop the sovereign’s coffin.
The card was from King Charles III, and it simply read: “in loving and devoted memory, Charles R.”
The wreath contained flowers and foliage from The Gardens of of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and High Grove house.
The letter reminded many royalists of the letter placed on Diana’s coffin which was marked “Mummy”. The note was reportedly from the late Princess of Wales’ second son, Prince Harry.
From right to left: Charles, Harry, William, and Charles Spencer attend Diana’s funeral.
(Image: Getty)Similarly, the letter also reminded royalists of the handwritten letter The Queen placed on top of her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin throughout his funeral service.
The monarch signed the note with her childhood nickname ‘Lilibet’.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle even named their second child Lilibet after the duke’s grandmother.
While Lilibet and her older brother Archie weren’t in attendance for the funeral, two of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cornwall’s children joined the proceedings.
Harry’s note for Diana.
(Image: Getty)Future king Prince George as well as his younger sister Princess Charlotte joined the elder members of the royal family as they walked behind The Queen’s coffin.
The young royals were also captured singing throughout the service.
A card atop The Queen’s casket.
(Image: Getty)Meanwhile, Catherine also paid tribute to her late grandmother-in-law in a special way.
As Catherine arrived at Westminster Abbey, eagle-eyed viewers spotted a special tribute to The Queen and Phillip in the form of a delicate pearl necklace around her neck.
For both funerals she sported a pearl choker that belonged to the late Queen, first gifted to the monarch from Japan in the 1970s.
Want to know more about Queen Elizabeth II’s life and legacy? Read the articles below
The sentimental meaning behind The Queen’s final portrait
Queen Elizabeth II’s life in pictures
How many great-grandchildren did The Queen have?
Who will inherit The Queen’s jewellery?
What you never knew about The Queen and Prince Philip
The Queen’s relationship with Princess Diana
What happens now that The Queen has died?
How has the line of succession changed after The Queen’s death?
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