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King Charles Left a Note for His Mother Queen Elizabeth On Her Coffin

As the royal family (and the entire world) said a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II, her son King Charles wrote a heartfelt note to his mother before they laid her to rest.

King Charles Wearing a Blue Suit CAT
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The handwritten note read, “In loving and devoted memory, Charles R.” It was nestled near a beautiful floral wreath (chosen by the king himself) that sat on top of the queen’s coffin during the state funeral ceremony, which was held earlier today at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth and King Charles CAT
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According to People, the king used the letter “R” because it stands for “Rex” (short for “King” in Latin). Whenever his mother would sign important documents, she would use “R” as well (standing for “Regina,” or “Queen”). Back in June, she released a statement about the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station in London—and she signed the letter “Elizabeth R.”

Surprisingly, the heartfelt gesture seems to be a royal family tradition. The news outlet also pointed out that the queen left a handwritten note on the top of her late husband, Prince Philip’s, coffin. The monarch signed the message “Lilibet,” which is her nickname from childhood.

Queen Elizabeth and her late husband, Prince Philip.
FIONA HANSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Her Royal Majesty has laid in state over the last four days, so mourners can say goodbye in person. At first, there was a white bouquet of flowers atop the coffin. But during the funeral service, the arrangement was replaced by a breathtaking wreath filled with vibrant colors.

According to the royal family,  the wreath featured “foliage of Rosemary, English Oak and Myrtle.” The floral arrangement included different shades of gold, pink, deep burgundy and sprinkles of white—picked from the gardens of Royal Residences.

May you rest in peace, Queen Elizabeth.

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Assistant Editor, News And Entertainment

Karelle McKay is the Assistant Editor of News and Entertainment at PureWow. Before she started writing about all things pop culture, she was a literal couch potato who loved...