Crowned with Glory Until the Very End

Several have asked about the three objects on top of Her Late Majesty's coffin. The Imperial State Crown is the symbol of Monarchy. It is what the Sovereign wears after being crowned with the Crown of St Edward at the Coronation, and then only worn to open Parliament. Only three people may physically touch it: the Monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweler. (It's also the crown represented in the opening of "The Crown.") The Orb is a symbol of Godly power. The cross above a globe represents Christ’s dominion as the Sovereign is God’s representative on Earth. Made in 1661 for Charles II, it is a hollow gold sphere and divided by pearls into three sections to represent the continents believed to exist at the time. The Sovereign's Sceptre known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy was created in 1910 and used for George V's coronation. It holds the Cullinan I, the largest diamond in the world. The Cullinan II is set in the front of the Imperial State Crown. All three will remain on the coffin until time of Committal in the George VI Chapel, when she will be laid to rest alongside Prince Phillip, Princess Margaret, and both her parents.