Chapter 55: The Funeral Begins
On November 29, 1900, after long preparation, Queen Victoria's grand funeral finally began.
As a former British monarch of immense prestige, Queen Victoria had laid out extremely detailed arrangements for her own funeral, all of which were fully honored by Edward.
One of the most personally distinctive requests was that all attendees incorporate elements of white into their attire—even the horses used during the procession were to be draped in white cloth.
This of course included the central figure of the funeral—Queen Victoria herself. She was dressed in a pure white wedding gown, with a white veil covering her head, symbolizing her fidelity to love and marriage.
To honor Queen Victoria's will, Wilhelm II, Edward, Arthur, Princess Beatrice, the Queen's trusted aide James Reid, and three loyal servants were each positioned at the Queen's head and sides as pallbearers, carefully lifting and placing her into the coffin.
This was no simple task. Since Queen Victoria had passed away a month prior, even though the body had been well-preserved, Arthur and the others had to exercise great caution to avoid any damage.
Inside Queen Victoria's massive stone coffin, the base was lined with thick charcoal and topped with Prince Albert's nightgown.
Even though Prince Albert had been gone for over 40 years, Queen Victoria had preserved his nightgown, a testament to the depth of their love.
In the adjacent space for burial artifacts, Queen Victoria had also given specific instructions. Unlike other monarchs who preferred to be buried with large quantities of jewels and gold, her burial items included her favorite shawl, handkerchief, rings, books, photographs, a jewelry box, and bracelets—simple items of great personal meaning.
After a life of luxury, Queen Victoria did not seek extravagance in death. Instead, she sought warmth and remembrance. Though the individual value of each item might have been modest, they held profound significance for her.
She lost her father in childhood, her husband in middle age, and her son in old age—her life was marked by sorrow.
Combined with the glory of the British Empire during the Victorian era, these experiences elevated this great queen to legendary status.
At 8:00 a.m., Queen Victoria's funeral officially began in London.
Long before the state funeral began, royal families and dignitaries from across Europe and the world had already gathered at Westminster Abbey.
Before the ceremony, Westminster Abbey rang its bell 81 times to commemorate the Queen's 81-year legendary life.
At Queen Victoria's request for a militarized funeral, her casket had already been placed on a gun carriage before the ceremony began, to be drawn by over a hundred sailors from the Royal Navy.
Originally, as per her will, the gun carriage was to be drawn by eight white military horses.
But at Arthur's suggestion, it was changed to be drawn by Royal Navy soldiers instead.
Edward VII and British officials agreed, as this enhanced the ceremonial gravitas of the funeral. Compared to horses, the presence of soldiers conveyed a deeper sense of solemnity and human emotion.
This practice, initiated by Queen Victoria—placing the coffin on a gun carriage and having it drawn by soldiers—later became a royal tradition of the highest order.
In actual history, Queen Elizabeth, who reigned even longer, also adopted this method for her own funeral.
As the gun carriage carrying the casket was slowly escorted to Westminster Abbey by the sailors, countless British citizens along the route offered their deepest respect and heartfelt blessings to their beloved queen.
Although the funeral procession covered only a few kilometers, it took over two hours to complete so that as many people as possible could bid farewell.
Edward VII, Arthur, and other senior royals followed behind the casket, walking with the gun carriage to accompany Queen Victoria on her final journey.
At this moment, both Edward VII and Arthur were dressed in full military regalia, adorned with medals and honors from their respective nations.
But Arthur's heart was heavy. With the loss of Queen Victoria, the person he could most rely on was now gone.
Although Princess Louise and his two younger sisters still cared deeply for him, they could offer only emotional comfort—practically, they could not help him.
At 11:00 a.m., Queen Victoria's casket arrived at Westminster Abbey, and the state funeral officially began.
Nearly a thousand guests attended the ceremony, including high-ranking officials and royalty from around the world.
First, the Archbishop of Canterbury praised the Queen's achievements, hailing her as a servant of the nation and the people, modeling herself after Christ.
Given Queen Victoria's significant accomplishments, there was no shortage of praise. These included the rise of the British Empire as the world's most powerful nation, the global spread of British territories, and the founding of the Indian Empire.
British Prime Minister Robert also read a passage from the Gospel of John during the ceremony.
After that, the entire congregation observed three minutes of silence for Queen Victoria, a moment mirrored across the British Empire.
This moment had been prearranged—starting at 11:55 a.m. on November 29 and ending at 11:58. Every colony and territory observed silence simultaneously.
At the ceremony's conclusion, the hymn "God Save the Queen" was sung in the church, officially marking the end of the state funeral.
Afterward, Queen Victoria's casket was transported to the Wellington Arch at the southeast corner of Hyde Park in London, and from there transferred to Windsor Castle for burial.
The funeral procession was enormous, including over 2,000 soldiers and hundreds of civilian representatives.
Given Queen Victoria's immense prestige in Britain, soldiers and police lined the roads to maintain order.
Big Ben chimed once every minute. In the slow tolling of the bell, the casket passed through the capital's streets, accompanied by rows of mourners stretching for more than a mile as the procession made its way to Windsor Castle.
Upon reaching the Wellington Arch, Queen Victoria's casket was transferred to a new state hearse, which headed straight for Windsor Castle.
At this point, the largest crowds of British citizens had gathered, as ordinary citizens would no longer be allowed entry once the casket reached Windsor Castle.
Thus, the stretch from Wellington Arch to Windsor Castle was the final opportunity for the British public to see Queen Victoria's remains.
As the hearse passed through the streets, crowds of mourners frantically tossed flowers toward the carriage and applauded in tribute.
People could not bear to say goodbye to their queen, but they had no choice. Their passionate displays of respect and the sea of flowers thrown toward the hearse reflected Queen Victoria's lasting place in their hearts.
It's worth noting that due to the approaching end of the funeral, flower prices had soared throughout London.
Even so, the public continued buying flowers just to throw them at the Queen's hearse as it passed—a testament to the affection and esteem in which she was held.
(A note: Details of the funeral are hard to verify due to the historical distance. Parts of this chapter reference the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.)
(End of Chapter)
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