Vigil of the Princes

E276870

Vigil of the Princes is a ceremonial tradition in which members of the royal family stand guard in silent watch over the coffin of a deceased monarch during their lying-in-state.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Princes’ Vigil 1
Vigil of the Princes canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf funerary rite
royal ceremonial tradition
alsoKnownAs Vigil of the Princes
surface form: Princes’ Vigil
appliesTo consorts of monarchs in some cases
deceased monarchs
country United Kingdom
culturalContext British constitutional monarchy
firstDocumentedYear 1936
follows death of a monarch
hasCustom public may file past during the vigil
vigil may be repeated during the lying-in-state period
vigil usually lasts about 15 to 20 minutes
hasGenderAspect later included female descendants such as princesses
originally performed by male descendants of the monarch
hasPart silent watch over the coffin
standing guard at each corner of the catafalque
hasParticipant female members of the royal family
male members of the royal family
members of the royal family
reigning monarch’s children
reigning monarch’s grandchildren
hasTemporalQualifier during lying-in-state
involves bearing ceremonial swords
fixed positions around the coffin
heads bowed
wearing military uniform
languageOfName English
location Palace of Westminster
surface form: Westminster Hall

lying-in-state chamber
mannerOf motionless
silent
notableEvent Vigil of the Princes for King George V in 1936
Vigil of the Princes for Queen Elizabeth II in 2022
Vigil of the Princes for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002
performedBy British royal family
relatedTo British royal funeral traditions
lying-in-state of British monarchs
state funeral of a monarch
significance expression of filial duty
public display of royal mourning
symbolic protection of the sovereign in death
symbolizes continuity of the Crown
loyalty of heirs to the deceased sovereign
usedFor honouring a deceased monarch
paying respects during lying-in-state

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

lying-in-state of Elizabeth II guardMounting Vigil of the Princes
Vigil of the Princes alsoKnownAs Vigil of the Princes
this entity surface form: Princes’ Vigil