What is a catafalque?
A catafalque has been used as part of the service to the Queen who sadly passed away on September 8, 2022.
but what does it mean and what is its significance? Here's everything you need to know.
What is a catafalque?
A catafalque is an ornamental structure sometimes used in funerals and for the lying in state of a body.
It is a highly decorated raised rectangular wooden box or a metal stand which holds an adult-sized coffin.
The raised platform is used so people can walk past the coffin and pay their final respects.
A watch or catafalque party is traditionally mounted around the coffin to ensure the safety of the body while it lay in state.
What does catafalque mean in English?
The term is derived from the Italian word ‘catafalco’ which translates as scaffolding and has been used since the 15th century.
Today the Italian catafalco is most often used figuratively to mean a bulky object.
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What is the difference between a catafalque and a bier?
A catafalque is typically a highly decorated raised rectangular wooden box or a metal stand that is used to hold an adult-sized coffin.
It has the same purpose as a bier which is more commonly used at funerals but is slightly less decorated than a catafalque.
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Where will the Queen be buried?
After the funeral service at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022, the Queen's coffin will be taken to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle where a committal service will be held at 4 pm.
The service will be televised, and viewers will see the coffin lowered into the Royal Vault.
The Queen will be buried within the King George VI Memorial Chapel, named after her father who died in 1952.
She will join her father and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who died in 2002, as well as her sister Princess Margaret, who had her ashes placed in the chapel after her death the same year.
Prince Philip, who died in 2021, will also be in the Memorial Chapel.
His coffin rests in the Royal Vault but will be exhumed and moved to be with the Queen so the pair will be reunited in death.