King Charles III Bows to Queen Elizabeth II’s Coffin 1 Last Time During Wand- Breaking Tradition at Committal Ceremony
usmagazine.comA final goodbye. King Charles III bowed to Queen Elizabeth II‘s coffin one last time as the committal service at St George’s Church in Windsor, England, came to an end.Charles, 73, placed a scarlet banner — known as the queen’s company colour of the grenadier guards — on the coffin during the Monday, September 19, funeral.
The regal cloth, which was embroidered with gold thread, was laid at the top of her casket, above the floral arrangement that included a handwritten note from the king. (“In loving and devoted memory.
Charles R,” he wrote.)As Charles bowed his head and stepped back, Lord Chamberlain Andrew Parker held a staff over the queen and “broke” it in half.
This tradition is known as “breaking the wand,” and this is the first time the ritual was televised. It symbolizes the Wand of Office, and the break indicates the end of a monarch’s reign.The Lord Chamberlain, who holds the most senior position in the royal household, breaks the wand as their final duty to the crown.
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