(NewsNation) — Queen Elizabeth II’s eight grandchildren came together this weekend to stand in silent vigil beside her coffin.
Prince William, now Prince of Wales, stood at the head of her coffin with Prince Harry at the foot, both with their heads bowed. Both Prince William and Harry, who are military veterans, were in uniform.
The uniforms have since reportedly caused a stir among the royal family.
According to reports from British newspapers, the queen’s initials were removed from Prince Harry’s uniform. The initials “ER” are traditionally worn by those in service to the monarch.
Royal experts suggest the absence of the letters from Harry’s uniform stems from he and his wife Meghan’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020.
The Sunday Times reports that Prince Harry is heartbroken over the removal of his grandmother’s initials from his uniform.
The queen’s royal cipher ER actually stands for Elizabeth Regina. While Regina was not the name she was given at birth, it is Latin for “queen.”
The initials are not only displayed on the UK’s Navy and Army uniforms, but also on government buildings, official papers and the country’s iconic red post boxes.
Despite ill feeling surrounding Prince Harry’s uniform, the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton is also making headline for her fashion choices, specifically her jewelry.
Kate paid homage to both the queen and her late mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing special pearls over the past few days.
While greeting troops ahead of the queen’s funeral, Kate wore a pair of pearl earrings from the monarch’s jewelry collection. The queen wore the same earrings at her Silver Jubilee back in 1977.
Kate also wore Elizabeth’s signature pearl necklace during a lunch at Buckingham Palace on Saturday to honor her legacy. She paired the necklace with the iconic three-strand bracelet famously worn by Diana on a trip to Hong Kong in 1989.
Pearls are symbolic to the royal family. Since Queen Victoria’s reign, pearls are seen on royal women at funerals, as they are thought to symbolize tears.