The tradition had not been seen since 1952.
The severed staff was placed on top of the queen’s coffin. PDO
Queen of Elizabeth II funerals have been held on Monday in Britain all day long.
The queen was lowered into the royal vault by her prince consort Philip’s next door on Monday evening at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. During the service, a surprising tradition was seen on television, in which the Lord Andrew Parker cut a wooden, long stick.
It is a tradition called “breaking of the wand”, where a wooden stick is ceremonially broken. The tradition in question has not been seen at a royal funeral since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth’s father in 1952, says the British newspaper The Guardian.
The wand symbolizes the court’s lord chamberlain, who is the highest-ranking official in the court. At the funeral, Elizabeth’s most recent Lord Chamberlain, Andrew Parker, cut the wand as if it were his last duty to the Queen. The severed staff was then placed on top of the Queen’s coffin before the coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault.
Parker has been in his current position until April 2021. King Charles will later appoint his own Lord Chamberlain, who will receive his own wooden staff.
Lord Andrew Parker cut the wooden staff at the Queen’s funeral. PDO