Surprising Royal Funeral Facts

2 January 2019
 Categories: , Blog

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The British monarchy has long captured the public's imagination, and some members of the royal family are beloved throughout the world. In the United States, millions tuned into the royal weddings of Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. It makes sense that there would be a fascination around royal funerals as well. When a member of the royal family passes away, the world reacts in a big way.

The Queen Has Already Helped Plan Her Funeral

In part because of all the elaborate plans that must be made, the funerals of British monarchs are always planned well in advance. Queen Elizabeth has already helped plan her future funeral, and she made many of the choices for it herself.

Princess Diana Almost Didn't Get a Royal Sendoff

When Princess Diana died, she was divorced from Prince Charles and had infamous drama with other members of the royal family, too. However, when the queen failed to exhibit much emotion in the days after Princess Diana's death, the public was outraged.

At first, Princess Diana's funeral wasn't planned to be a big affair, but after the people reacted strongly to what they saw as the downplaying of the death by the queen, a big funeral was planned. Princess Diana's funeral was held at Westminster Abbey where the funerals of queens and kings are held. Billions of people tuned in to the broadcast of Princess Diana's funeral.

Funeral Homes Are Asked to Emulate Royal Funerals

Sometimes funeral directors are asked to bring a regal touch to funerals. That can be as simple as finding a special reading that was done at a royal funeral, but it can sometimes be a more elaborate request. For example, the funeral home may be asked to duplicate a casket style. After Princess Diana's death, people asked for a replica of the floral arrangement that flanked her casket.

The Last State Funeral Was In 1952

State funerals in England are rare. The last one was for King George VI in 1952. Although they are usually reserved for monarchs, they are sometimes given to a very special and accomplished person whose service to the country is deemed truly extraordinary. Ceremonial funerals for important figures are often held and are similar to state funerals.

Finally, many people around the world love keeping up with the lives of the royal family. While the world hopes that Queen Elizabeth II will reign for many years to come, many people worry about her advancing into her nineties. People around the world are hoping for a very long life for the beloved queen.