The Duchess of Sussex was unable to attend
Prince Philip’s funeral in person.
However, the Duchess of Sussex ‘s
beautiful calligraphy skills were once again on display when she penned a
handwritten card for her late grandfather-in-law, Prince Philip, at his
funeral in April.
Meghan was unable to attend the Duke’s
funeral service earlier this year as she was in the later stages of her pregnancy
with Lilibet, but she made sure to pay a very personal tribute to the
Queen’s husband with the notecard on her funeral wreath.
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| Harry and Meghan’s notecard, penned by the Duchess, was pinned to the centre of the wreath |
Viewers
who were watching the televised service from home may not have been able to see
the notecard, but photos from inside St George’s Chapel, Windsor clearly show
the message pinned to the centre of the wreath.
While the contents of the message have
remained private, it revealed
at the time that the wreath was made up of a variety of locally sourced
flowers.
Prince
Harry and Meghan specifically asked for the wreath to include Acanthus Mollis (bear’s
breeches), the national flower of Greece to represent Prince Philip’s heritage,
and Eryngium (sea holly) to represent the Royal Marines. The wreath also
featured campanula to represent gratitude and everlasting love, rosemary to
signify remembrance, lavender for devotion, and roses in honour of June being
Philip’s birth month.
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| The couple’s colourful wreath was laid at the service |
Harry
and Meghan commissioned one of their favourite florists to make and design the
wreath – Willow Crossley, who also did the flower arrangements for the couple’s
evening wedding reception in Frogmore Gardens in 2018, their son Archie’s
christening in 2019, and the launch event for the Hubb Community cookbook at
Kensington Palace.
The colourful wreath certainly stood out
among the others laid, which consisted of several stunning white arrangements.
White is a traditional colour used for flowers at funerals; the Queen’s own
bouquet, which was laid on her husband’s coffin, included white lilies, small
white roses, white freesia, white waxflower, white sweet peas and jasmine.
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| The service took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor |
A
great deal of thought went into the Queen’s poignant selection, with each
holding a special significance in tribute to her husband Prince Philip and
their 73-year marriage.
White
lilies are often seen at weddings and funerals since they represent rebirth,
while the white rose is a sign of respect or remembrance. Jasmine, meanwhile,
is symbolic of purity, and sweet peas represent a departure or thank you. The
white waxflowers symbolise a lasting love or a love that endures time and
trials.
