The Queen's Outfit At Prince Philip's Funeral Explained
On April 17, 2021, the British royal family said their goodbyes to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at his funeral. The late husband of Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest at St. George's Chapel surrounded by 30 close family members, following UK COVID-19 funeral protocols, according to BuzzFeed News. Prince Philip died on April 9 at age 99 after a month-long hospital stay.
At the royal's funeral, members of the family wore outfits with deeper meanings. For instance, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, wore the queen's pearls, which she previously wore during Elizabeth and Philip's 70th wedding anniversary dinner four years prior, according to InStyle.
But what about Elizabeth's funeral attire? The queen's royal mourning protocol required her to wear black during her official 30-day mourning period before and after the funeral, according to Express. Aside from her black clothing, read on for the meaning behind everything the queen wore while mourning.
The Queen wore a deeply meaningful brooch during the funeral
Like the other members of the royal family, Queen Elizabeth II dressed in all black for the funeral of her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Photos showed her wearing a black face mask and a black hat, fitted with a dark veil as well. Along with her black clothing and accessories, the queen did include some bright items in her outfit: pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and the Queen Mary's Richmond Brooch, according to Express.
Pearls have been a favorite of Elizabeth for a long time, as well as reigning queens before her, according to People. She also wore pearls on her 1947 wedding day when she married Philip, and on the day of their engagement announcement during that same year.
The brooch, however, was especially symbolic for the queen and her husband. She inherited the chrysanthemum-shaped diamond pin from her grandmother and previously wore it on two important occasions: during her and Philip's honeymoon, then on their 73rd anniversary last fall, according to Vogue UK. So, wearing the brooch again on the day of Philip's funeral was a sweet way for the queen to pay tribute to her husband and celebrate their love.