As she grieves her beloved husbandPrince Philip,Queen Elizabethis breaking with tradition with regards to one royal mourning ritual.
Unlike other current family members and royals before her, she will not be using black-edged stationery during the official mourning period. It has been confirmed that she will instead use personalized stationery featuring her crest in black, instead of the customary red, PEOPLE has learned.
The nod of modernity is perhaps in honor of her husband, who famously had a no-fuss attitude in life and also in death. Designing his own funeral, hiscoffin was placed onto the back of a Land Roverand the ceremony, held at Windsor Castle on Saturday, waswithout a eulogy.
The funeral of Prince Philip.Adrian Dennis/WPA Pool/Getty Images
According toThe Times, who first reported the story, both Clarence House, the office ofPrince CharlesandCamilla, Duchess of Cornwalland Kensington Palace, wherePrince WilliamandKate Middletonare officially based, will continue to practice the centuries-old tradition.
Using black-edged stationery after a death was very popular in the 19th century. After the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria corresponded on writing paper with a thick black border and matching envelopes, to signal to the recipient her ongoing state of mourning.
Queen Elizabeth.Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth’s handwritten letter to Prince Philip.NBC
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Charles has also used the traditional form of correspondence in the past, including in letters to former staff members when his grandmother, the Queen Mother, died in 2002.
The Queen’s new crest design will no doubt be used to respond to the many bereavement cards and letters of condolences the monarch has received since her husbanddied peacefully at his home on April 9,at age 99.
Simon Perry
source: people.com
