There can be a number of weeks between someone dying and the date of their funeral which was even longer during covid shutdowns. My friend passed away in January 2021 and it took almost a month before her cremation took place. She was in the chapel of rest all that time and looked fine.
Nowadays for health and hygiene reasons most bodies have what`s called temporary preservation, in other words a form of embalming but not as in depth as the full embalming process which involves removal of internal organs etc so a body will be preserved for years. Temporary preservation involves replacing the blood with a preservative which can also include dye to make the body look less pale or ill. Usually undertakers do this as part of their services unless requested not to.
If you`ve ever organised a loved ones funeral then temporary preservation is usually listed on the bill. The full effects of it can last for around 6 weeks though (as in my late husband`s case) if the deceased has had constant doses of morphine ie through one of the black box syringes then the morphine which has built up in the internal organs can lessen the effect of the preservation in a shorter time.
The Queen`s funeral directors will have been there a short time after her death and will have dealt with everything swiftly and at Balmoral itself. Before her death was announced there were lots of vehicles passing in and out and at lots of different entrances and necessary equipment will have been driven in. Her personal dresser will have helped them by already having selected what the Queen or her family had decided she would wear.
When my late husband passed away and after the GP had certified him I helped to wash him, change his pyjamas, comb his hair , close his eyes and mouth and tucked him neat and tidy in his bed so close family could sit with me and him before the funeral directors took him. My sister ironed the shirt I chose for him, my middle son polished the shoes I chose for him and i brushed down his suit and organised everything he would need to go with him to the funeral parlour. Not ghoulish, not tasteless but a labour of love for a man I was married to for 32 years and as I always did throughout our time together I wanted him to look presentable whilst we sat with him for a short while and see him for the first time in months out of pain and at peace.
This made me think of when my darling dad died....
He had been in agony for months with aggressive cancers. But when he passed, it was 1am and my mum and God Mum had been nursing him at home for weeks (they were nurses).
So they finally went up to bed to try to get some rest before the doctor came and all the hoopla began, and I wanted to be the one to stay up with dad.
He was lying there on his hospital bed in the sitting room and he just looked so peaceful - at last!
As you say, the pain had gone.
I felt so privileged to be there in the quiet with him...
My brother was also in the room but he fell asleep quite quickly. Staying awake is my super-power - sadly!
I actually took a photo of dad that night but when I told my brother he said it was morbid so I deleted it.
I told mum last week, when we talking about the Queen and she said she wished I’d kept it and she wished she’d taken some too!
I was too ill to watch much of the coverage yesterday - just saw a bit of the Windsor procession but hoping I can watch both services at some point (did watch the coffin procession last week)..
But I did keep thinking of the family having to go through all this - and it’s been relentless for them - and so publicly, although it has been spectacular.
I pray they had a special private service last night for their beloved.
I wasn’t intending to really watch, just in between doing chores, but ended up being in front of TV all day.
Princess Anne and Charles must be exhausted one being with her mothers body and the other visiting areas of Uk and then walking miles today considering they are both over 70 .
My heart went out to the pallbearers, generally but particularly on those steps to Windsor, their mothers must be bursting with pride.
I don’t think the world has or will see the like again.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the pallbearers! I didn’t realise it would be the same few men each time.
I felt for them having to do their very tough job with such precision and without appearing to strain! As you say, lifting the coffin up those steps...
Well done them!
As indeed massive well done to all of the armed forces, the police and the volunteers and just everyone involved...
They did the Queen and us all so proud!
Hope everything is ok with you.
I was tipped over the edge when they bought out Emma the Queens horse and the Corgis.
