One of the seats was mysteriously left empty during the service and it was the one right in front of the new monarch.
Late Queen Elizabeth's committal service took place in St.George's chapel inside Windsor Castle on Monday. The entire royal family gathered to pay their respects. However, one of the seats was mysteriously empty during the service. Some assume that it is a deliberate tribute to a deceased member of the royal family but that wasn't the case, reports PEOPLE.
The chair in front of the monarch is always kept empty in these cases so that the monarch may see the proceedings unobstructed from the second row if they are not seated in the first row. Similarly, there was an empty seat right in front of the late Queen Elizabeth at prior royal ceremonies, including Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
This explains a mystery for me.
— Christine Watts (@Teeny__Me) September 21, 2022
King Charles left empty seat in front row at funeral to keep the Queen happy https://t.co/BN0nfuP0zL
The Queen would also usually sit in the second row of St George's Chapel, supposedly because the front row was too uncomfortable for her. Queen Elizabeth sat at the same spot for the funeral of her 73-year-old husband, Prince Philip, in 2021. The monarch sat alone in the pew due to COVID-19 requirements that mandated social distance. King Charles appears to be carrying on the rule in memory of his late mother, per 22 Words.
The adjustment is one of several for the new King. He will no longer, for example, sing along with the British national anthem, as shown during the Queen's burial. This is a custom since the song is dedicated to the king.
Queen Elizabeth would be happy with King Charles' move to keep the seat empty. https://t.co/GgjHu7Pg5t
— The Western Journal (@WestJournalism) September 20, 2022
Hsien Chew, head of the LGBTQ choir network Proud Voices U.K. and Ireland, told PEOPLE that the King seemed heartbroken during the burial, which took place at Westminster Abbey in London. He said, "I never thought I would be moved as much as I was, but being so up close and personal to the coffin, seeing the grief on Charles' face, it really hit home."
All eight of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren attended activities leading up to the late monarch's burial, which was an emotional time for the entire royal family. Following a private funeral on Monday evening, Queen Elizabeth II was put to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Prince Philip's casket has been transported from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen, per Sky News.
She was laid beside her father, and mother, and the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
References:
https://people.com/royals/king-charles-empty-seat-queen-elizabeth-committal-service-explained/
https://twentytwowords.com/king-charles-left-empty-seat-in-front-row-at-funeral-to-keep-queen-happy/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | WPA Pool
