In September 2022, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, Elizabeth II, officially ended her reign. The death of the beloved queen sparked a funeral that attracted worldwide attention. According to reports, more than 200 heads of state and representatives attended her funeral, and the crowd spontaneously came to see her off, with nearly 2 million people. This super-massive funeral cost about 16.2 billion pounds, equivalent to about 14 yuan200 million yuan.
In today's modern industrial age, the royal family often exists more as a symbol than as much real power. However, there was a great deal of concern and respect for the Queen's passing. This is not only the awe of imperial power, but also the love for a grandmother who has dedicated her life to the country. The 96-year-old queen has accompanied the motherland in the wind and rain through countless stormy years and witnessed the changes of history.
The official funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was once married and crowned. However, her final destination was not here, but she was buried in the "George VI Memorial" on the side of St. George's Chapel. This decision was not made out of royal secrets, but because the underground cemetery of St. George's Church was "overcrowded with ghosts" and could not accommodate more royals. Not only that, but even the coffin of the previously deceased Prince Philip will be re-removed from the St. George's Chapel Cemetery and buried with the Queen. They will be laid to rest in the George VI Memorial. The reason for this decision is simply that the cemetery is simply overstuffed. It is understood that in the past few hundred years, the underground cemetery of St. George's Church has successively received nearly 2,000 members of the royal family.
Why not choose to open a new cemetery elsewhere? Can't the royal family even come up with this money? This has to do with the religion of England – *Protestantism. As the royal family and leader of a country, the members of the royal family are also the most devout believers. According to the doctrine, the closer a truly devout believer is to the church after death, the closer he is to heaven.
Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, began to build a memorial on one side of the church based on this belief. Unfortunately, by the time of his death in 1952, the memorial had not yet been completed. In order to fulfill her father's last wish, the queen continued to build after succeeding to the throne, and finally completed this huge project in 1969.
In the heart of England, stands a solemn and sacred memorial, which takes its name from a great monarch - George VI. The memorial is not huge in size, with only six places, but it carries the deep affection of the George family. The remains of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are housed here.
It is worth mentioning that the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, had concerns about placing her body in a gloomy catacomb, so she chose to be cremated. However, in order to achieve family reunion, the Queen skillfully placed her ashes in this memorial hall after the princess's death in 2002. For Prince Philip, the husband of the previously deceased Queen, his ashes are temporarily interred in the Grand Cemetery of St. George's Chapel.
Prince Philip's life was filled with deep affection and devotion to the Queen. He renounced the Danish prince's succession and changed his faith only to be with Elizabeth. He accompanied the queen for seventy years without complaint or regret. His passing is deeply saddened by the Queen. Watching his coffin sink, she sent tears in her eyes and silently endured this heavy pain. And their final joint burial is also a different kind of reunion.
In fact, the Queen has already begun preparations for her and Prince Philip's funeral. Their coffins are made of English oak, the style is consistent, simple and elegant, and the brass handle adds a bit of solemnity. The lead lining inside the coffin is not allowed to be cremated due to religious restrictions, and this design can reduce the odor of the corpse and delay the rate of decay.
When the day of the funeral came, the funeral procession was endless, most notably several members of the royal core who followed the coffin. The new king, Charles, had tears in his eyes, and although he was approaching his twilight years, the loss of his mother still made him unacceptable. He had grown up under the protection of the queen for decades, and now he had to face everything alone.
The passing of Queen Elizabeth not only represents a page in the history of Britain's glorious era, but also symbolizes the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter. However, her contributions and impact on the country will always be remembered in people's hearts.