6 Things That Will Happen After Queen Elizabeth II's Burial

The late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (UK) will be laid to rest today (Monday, September 19) at Windsor Castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel, alongside her father, her mother, and her sister’s ashes.

There will be a committal service in St George's Chapel following the funeral at Westminister which was attended by several world leaders, including President William Ruto. It will be held at 4.00 pm UK time (6.00 pm Kenyan time).

The coffin of her late husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021, will also be moved from the royal vault in St George’s Chapel to be interred with the Queen, as the couple requested.

After she is laid to rest, there exists a long pattern of events as England ushers in a new chapter with the reign of King Charles III that took effect immediately after the Queen's death.

President William Ruto riding to Queen Elizabeth's funeral aboard a bus and US counterpart, Joe Biden travelling in his armoured motorcade to the same destination. /VIRALTEAKE

Viral Tea takes a look at what will happen after Queen Elizabeth II is buried:

King Charles III Coronation

After the Queen's death was announced on Thursday evening, September 8, the throne passed immediately to the heir, Charles, her son and the former Prince of Wales. He will formally be crowned king at the coronation, which could take place in the spring or summer of 2023.

For the past 900 years – since William the Conqueror – the coronation has been held in Westminster Abbey. Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion, meaning that the government pays for it and chooses the guest list.

What Crown Will He Wear?

The Archbishop of Canterbury will place St Edward’s crown, which dates from 1661, on Charles’s head.

This is the iconic solid gold crown from the crown jewels at the Tower of London, which is studded with 444 coloured gemstones, including rubies, garnets, sapphires and tourmalines, filled with a purple velvet centre and trimmed with fur.

It is worn by the monarch only at the moment of the coronation itself, in part because it weighs 2.23kg. Reports indicate that the St Edwards Crown is valued at over Ksh493.7 million.

Jewellery and Other Rituals

Coronations are traditional affairs, however, it is reported that King Charles would like a more scaled-down version compared with Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

He will still be laden with jewels. As well as St Edward’s crown, he will be presented with the coronation ring, nicknamed the wedding ring of England, which is placed on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand.

The ring has been used since 1831 and is a symbolic sapphire ring with baguette-cut rubies in the form of a cross over the face, representing the cross of St George and the Scottish flag.

He will also be handed a sceptre dating to 1661, which has been used in every coronation since. In 1910, King George V added the Cullinan I diamond, a 530.2-carat stone cut from the Cullinan diamond, a 3,106-carat stone unearthed in South Africa in 1905.

Prince Charles will also receive two gold armills to symbolise the monarch’s bond with the people.

Where Will King Charles III Live?

About 100 employees of Clarence House, where Charles and Camilla lived until the Queen’s death, have been informed that they could lose their jobs because he will no longer live there.

Despite the knowledge that King Charles is leaving Clarence House, it remains unseen where he is moving. Queen Elizabeth II had several residences, including Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and Windsor Castle.

There has not yet been any official announcement, but it is expected that the new monarch will live at Buckingham Palace, which Charles is understood to consider an important symbol of the monarchy.

However, Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a Ksh50.6 billion (£369 million) taxpayer-funded refurbishment, which will not be complete until 2027, meaning that Charles and Camilla's move could be delayed.

King Charles III at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on September 19, 2022. /AFP

Any Changes To Expect In King Charles III's Reign?

As king of a constitutional monarchy, Charles cannot change that much as only an elected parliament can make and pass legislation. This system is underpinned by an expectation that the King will remain politically neutral, although Charles is known as an impassioned champion of several causes, including the climate crisis.

Charles is understood to want a slimmed-down official royal family and there has been speculation that decisions will be taken to reduce the family’s cost to the public purse.

One important area will be around modernising relations with Commonwealth countries. He has commented before at a Commonwealth summit on his desire to “deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact”. His coronation comes in the wake of Prince William’s much-criticised royal tour to Caribbean countries and Barbados’s decision to remove the Queen as head of state.

Royal Warrants

Royal warrants are a mark of recognition granted to goods and services provided to the Queen, and a valuable marketing tool that allows holders to display a royal coat of arms.

Royal warrants granted by the Queen will become void two years after her death, giving companies time to remove the coat of arms from their packaging and advertising. If King Charles III wishes to grant them another royal warrant, then they can receive the distinction again