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The Queen’s lie in state began on Wednesday (September 14, 2022) to give the public an opportunity to pay their respects to the monarch – but which British queen was embalmed, leading to a shock occurrence, and which ruler refused?
Ahead of her funeral on September 19, thousands of people travelled to London to lay floral tributes and pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
The casket of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch made the journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday.
As there are only a few days left until her state funeral, questions have surfaced online about the preservation of the Queen’s body in these mild September temperatures.
The Queen has followed a tradition of having a lead-lined coffin, which prevents a body from decomposing for a longer time.
CBS reports: “Following a centuries-old tradition for royals, the Queen’s coffin is lined with lead, which helps prevent a body from decomposing for longer. The lead also makes the coffin significantly heavier, meaning eight pallbearers will be needed to carry it.”
Forces.net notes the Queen’s casket was made 30 years ago from English oak. The casket reportedly weighs anywhere between 550lb (227kg) and 700lb (318kg).
The public is interested to know whether monarchs in British history have been embalmed in the past.
The Daily Star reports Queen Elizabeth I was embalmed after her passing in 1603 at the age of 69. Her coffin was placed in Whitehall Palace for three weeks before her burial.
Elizabeth’s maid of honour, Lady Elizabeth Southwell, wrote that a “crack” was heard in the casket and the Queen’s “body and head” exploded as a result of the build-up of gases.
The same outlet notes Queen Victoria, who died in 1901, refused to be embalmed and didn’t lie in state like some previous monarchs.
The Queen will lie in state for four days, until Monday morning, in Westminster Hall where the public will be allowed to pay their respects.
The Queen’s state funeral will be held at 11am on September 19 at Westminster Abbey and her coffin will be taken from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey.
Members of the Royal Family will follow the coffin on foot and the funeral will be broadcast nationwide following a two-minute silence.
From there, the Queen’s coffin will travel from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch and then on to her resting place in Windsor Castle next to the bodies of her parents. The body of her beloved husband, Prince Philip, will be moved so he will lie next to his Queen for eternity.
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