Source: Global Times
" Washington Post " article on September 14, original title: Understanding the symbolic meaning of the queen's funeral procession Queen Elizabeth II of the UK 's funeral procession condenses more than 1,000 years of monarchy tradition into a symbolic journey. Each item and each location reflects certain aspects of the royal family’s life in Britain, whether it is military, political or religious.
The most eye-catching thing is the Queen's coffin, which was made from British oak more than 30 years ago and is lined with lead to isolate air and water. The coffin is covered with royal flags and wreaths. British royal flag is usually used in buildings or ships where the monarch is located. Unlike the British flag, the royal flag never lowered half of the flag, because there was never a time when a king or queen was not in power in Britain.
In the funeral procession, the coffin will be transported by artillery trucks provided by the Royal Horse Artillery Regiment. When the Queen was greeted at Westminster Palace , her coffin would be parked on a high platform. Each corner will be guarded by an officer 24 hours a day, from the troops serving the royal family.
When the queen is lying in the coffin for admiration, some royal symbols are placed on the coffin. The Imperial Crown was made in 1937 for the Queen's father, , King George VI, and modified for the Queen. Among the more than 3,000 diamonds, some are the most famous gems in the world, including a 317.4 carat "Curinam 2" diamond and a 170 carat " Black Prince Ruby ", which is said to be worn by Henry V in the battle in 1415.
The three-foot-long scepter represents the monarch's power in the secular world. In 1820, the patterns of Tudor rose, thistle and clover were added to the handle, representing England, Scottish and Ireland respectively. The 530-carat "Cullinan 1" diamond is one of several diamonds cut from the world's largest diamonds and was installed on Scepter in 1910.
The King of the Treasure Ball is an 11-inch hollow golden sphere with a cross on top that represents the monarch's power in Christianity.
A national hearse transports the queen's coffin from the airport to Buckingham Palace . After the funeral ceremony on the 19th, she will be sent to her final destination, Windsor. This national hearse is black and in line with royal etiquette.
Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the British royal family in London since 1837 and is also the place where the Queen lived, played and handled official duties most of her life. The funeral procession on the 14th will start from Buckingham Palace and follow the Boulevard, the most magnificent ritual route in London, and extend to Trafalgar Square.
The Queen's coffin will be parked in the Palace of Westminster, the oldest building in the parliamentary complex, dating back to 1097.
The funeral on September 19 will be the first monarch funeral held at Westminster Abbey since the funeral of King George II in 1760. After the funeral, the coffin will be transferred from the cannon carriage to the hearse heading to Windsor in .
In Windsor, the Queen's hearse will follow a road about 3 miles long, known as the "Long Road" and ends at Windsor Castle, which was built by King Charles II in 1680.
The Queen's coffin will be placed in an annex next to the Royal Tomb King George VI Memorial Chapel, along with her parents' coffin and the ashes of her sister Princess Margaret . Prince Philip's coffin will be removed from the royal tomb and placed next to his wife who has been with him for 73 years. (Authors Bonnie Burkowitz, Shirley Chen, Julia Leduer, translated by Chen Xin)
