What does lying in state mean?

LYING in state is a tradition that has been going on for centuries.

So what exactly does it mean? Here's everything you need to know.

What does lying in state mean?

Lying in state is a formal tradition reserved for people of public importance such as monarchs, their spouses and sometimes government ministers.

The body of the deceased is placed inside a state building, to allow members of the public to pay their respects.

What happens when a body lies in state?

In the UK, the deceased is kept in Westminster Hall inside the Houses of Parliament.

The coffin tends to be on a raised platform called a catafalque for a few days before the funeral ceremony takes place.

During this time, the coffin is guarded around the clock by a military officer.

What's the history behind lying in state?

Lying in state is a ritual that was originally followed by people of all class and status.

The bodies of the dead were prepared and dressed and then displayed in a room of their family home for two to three days.

In this time the family would make arrangements for the burial, and visitors would pay their respects.

It's thought that the delay between the death and the burial came from the idea that a corpse could spring back to life, so they wanted to make sure a death had actually occurred.

Historically, members of the nobility had more elaborate rituals of laying in state, they often took place in a more public place with flashier furnishings displayed.

King Edward VII was the first British monarch to lie in state in Westminster in 1910. He was inspired by former prime minister William Gladstone who had laid in state in 1898.

Is the coffin open when lying in state?

Every country has their own traditions and the practice varies around the world.

But in the UK, lying in state generally refers to a closed coffin which tends to be draped in a flag - coffins belonging to members of the Royal Family are draped in the Royal Standard flag, whereas state officials coffins tend to be wrapped in the Union Jack.

Queen Elizabeth II's father George VI laid in state for four days when he died in 1952 - over 300,000 people queued in harsh weather to say their final goodbye to the King.