Queen Elizabeth Marks the 100th Anniversary of the Burial of the Unknown Warrior Ahead of Remembrance Sunday

From Town & Country

Ahead of Remembrance Sunday tomorrow, Queen Elizabeth has marked the centenary of the burial of the unknown warrior in a small private ceremony. As part of the tribute, a bouquet of flowers featuring orchids and myrtle, which was based on the Queen's own wedding bouquet, was placed on the grave located inside Westminster Abbey.

According to Buckingham Palace, "The grave of the Unknown Warrior is the final resting place of an unidentified British serviceman who died on the battlefields during the First World War. The serviceman’s body was brought from Northern France and buried at Westminster Abbey on 11th November 1920 after a procession through Whitehall."

The Queen's gesture this week is reminiscent of the longstanding tradition of royal brides placing their wedding bouquets on the grave as a sign of respect for the military, a custom which started by the Queen Mother in 1923. She sent her flowers to honor her brother, Fergus, who was killed in 1915 during World War I. More recently, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sussex, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have all placed their bouquets on the grave.

After the flowers were left in tribute, the Queen joined the Dean of Westminster in a moment of prayer and reflection before the lament "The Flowers of the Forest" was played.

The ceremony at Westminster Abbey is just one of several events planned in honor of Remembrance Sunday. Earlier this week, Camilla paid her respects at the Field of Remembrance service at Westminster Abbey. Tomorrow, there will be an additional tribute at the Cenotaph in London.

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