Queen Elizabeth II funeral: who wrote the card on the Queen’s coffin, and what did it say?

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
The Queen was laid to rest on Monday 19 September.

Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest following her state funeral in London’s Westminster Abbey.

The funeral will be the final day in a ten day mourning period for the United Kingdom which began on Thursday 8 September when she died at her Balmoral estate.

The sombre event saw the royal family, including her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in attendance to pay tribute to the monarch.

Getty Images

All eyes were on the Queen one final time as her coffin was brought through London once more.

However, eagle eyed viewers were quick to spot a personal touch, in the form of a small note, left on top of her coffin.

So, what did the card say and who wrote it? Here’s everything we know.

Who wrote the card on top of the Queen’s coffin?

King Charles III wrote the note to his late mother.

What did the card say?

The card held a touching and simple message for Queen Elizabeth II, which read: ‘In loving and devoted memory. Charles R’.

R stands for rex, Latin for ‘king.’ Queen Elizabeth was Elizabeth R, the R standing for regina, Latin for ‘queen."

The card was handwritten and edged in black, which follows the mourning rituals of the royal family.

The card was among a bouquet of flowers which featured flowers from Buckingham Palace and one’s she had in her wedding bouquet.

Did Elizabeth leave a note for Prince Philip?

When the Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip, died in 2021, she also left a touching member on top of the coffin.

The handwritten card, edged in black, read: “In loving memory, Lilibet”.

The card was amongst a  wreath which featured white lilies, small white roses, white freesias, white wax flowers, white sweet peas and jasmine.

Is this Royal Protocol?

While it is common for flowers to to hold a card from the family members, and to be laid upon a coffin at a funeral, it is also a tradition that has happened at other royal funerals such as the late Prince Philip’s in which the Queen wrote a card for her husband.

As well as this Prince Harry wrote a heartbreaking note for his mother, Princess Diana, which laid on top of her coffin and read: “Mummy”.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1963
Register
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice