Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: The history behind the gun carriage

Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will be drawn by gun carriage, pulled by sailors using ropes, during her funeral procession on Monday, 19 September.

This ceremony is steeped in long-standing tradition, dating back to Queen Victoria’s funeral in 1901.

Originally pulled by horses, the Royal Navy stepped in to bring the late monarch on her final journey when the animals were unable to do so, and have been bestowed with the responsibility ever since.

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Paul Barker and Commander Steve Elliott talk us through the carriage’s history in this video.

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