Royal Coffins Are Heavier Than You’d Think

Queen Elizabeth II’s casket is made from “well-seasoned oak,” according to The Telegraph, sourced from the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Her coffin was made more than 30 years ago by London coffin makers Henry Smith, as was Prince Philip’s. The company closed in 2005, but the Queen’s coffin has been in the hands of another London firm, Leverton and Sons, since 1991 (via Daily Mail). They’ve maintained it until now and have provided a little more insight into the precise materials used to make the coffin. “It’s made from English oak, which is very difficult to get hold of,” Andrew Leverton, who runs the business, explained to The Times. “Oak coffins are now made from American oak. I don’t think we could use English oak for a coffin now. It would be too expensive.”

Inside that oak coffin is another, much heavier casket in which the royals are laid. This one is lead-lined, which adds considerable weight for the pallbearers carrying it. So much so that the usual six pallbearers are joined by an additional two, per The Telegraph. The lead component was made via a method called “lead shell and case,” where the lead is poured over the wood of the inner coffin.