THE Imperial State Crown, Orb and Sceptre, have been removed from the Queen’s coffin and placed onto the altar of St George’s Chapel by the Dean of Windsor.
The final hymn was sung as the King prepared to drape the Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin.
What is the Orb?
The Orb, like the Sceptre, dates back to the 17th-century and is a major part of the coronation ceremony of each monarch.
The Orb is seen as a symbol that the monarch’s power comes from God. Both items were last used at the Queen’s coronation in 1953.
The jewelled bands of the piece are meant to represent the three known continents at the time of its creation.
Both the Orb and Sceptre will appear again at King Charles’s coronation.
“The Orb that the monarch carries stands for Christian sovereignty and, since the Reformation, his or her headship of the Church of England,” explained Tracy Borman, author of Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy.
What was the stick which was broken in two?
Once in place, the colour of the Grenadier Guards was accompanied by the Lord Chamberlain’s Wand of Office, which he symbolically broke.
The purpose of breaking the wand is to create a symmetry with the three Instruments of State that had been removed from the coffin.
What happened after that?
The Queen’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel.
As the coffin was lowered, the Dean of Windsor recited Psalm 103, which
includes the traditional line: “Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul”.
He also offered the commendation – a prayer in which the deceased is entrusted to God’s mercy.
The Garter King of Arms then pronounced the styles and titles of the Queen.
The Sovereign Piper
The service ended with the Sovereign Piper playing the lament A Salute to the Royal Fendersmith from the doorway between the chapel and the dean’s cloister, with the music gradually fading away as he walked towards the deanery.
The Archbishop of Canterbury then concluded the service with a blessing before the congregation sang God Save the King.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel