The men carried out one final task to end the day
The Queen‘s pallbearers concluded their efforts on the day of the late monarch’s funeral with one “final unseen act”.
Soldiers from the Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, stunned millions of viewers around the world on Monday, as they carried the Queen’s 500lb coffin.
Such a huge responsibility, literally on young shoulders. Well done #pallbearers pic.twitter.com/rAVEHj8TEk
— Jane Brewer (@jane_brewer) September 20, 2022
The men, who flew back from Iraq to carry out the nerve-racking task, carried the coffin into Westminster Hall for the funeral service, and even up a long set of stairs leading to St George’s Chapel as part for the procession.
Thousands rushed to Twitter to praise the “flawless” and “faultless” job the men did, with some urging the men to be included in the King Charles III’s honours list, and others asking where they can send them cases of beer or whiskey.
Anyone know where I can send a case of beer and bottle of whisky to the #pallbearers? Stand easy, gentlemen. Job well done. #queensfuneral #QueenElizabethII
— Jordan Dias (@jordandias) September 19, 2022
And that’s without the public even seeing the pallbearers’ final act which the cameras stopped rolling for.
Writing for The Telegraph, the UK’s former Chief of General Staff, General The Lord Dannatt, explained how: “Deep in the Royal Vault under the chapel, the pallbearers will have one final unseen duty — to move the late Queen’s body to its final resting place close to her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh, and to her father, King George VI.”
Over 4 billion people were anticipated to watch the Queen’s funeral – making it the most watched single TV event in history. Others have included the 1996 Olympics, which saw a Muhammad Ali, who was battling Parkinson’s disease, light the Olympic flame in front of 3.6 billion across the globe. Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 also ranks amongst the most watched, with 2 billion tuning in worldwide.
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