The silver Royal Victorian Medal has been given to the pallbearers who escorted the Queen’s casket in honour of the significant part they played in her funeral.
Last September, countless people watched as eight Grenadier Guards in full uniform carried Her Late Majesty’s lead-lined coffin into Westminster Abbey before transferring it to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, where she was laid to rest.
Lance Sergeant Alex Turner, Lance Corporal Tony Flynn, Lance Sergeant Elias Orlowski, Guardsmen Fletcher Cox, Guardsman James Patterson, Lance Sergeant Ryan Griffiths, Guardsman Luke Simpson, and Guardsman David Sanderson slowly ascended the chapel’s steep steps without disturbing the Imperial State Crown or the orb and sceptre placed on top. Some reported holding their breath.
The soldiers were named as recipients of honours under the Royal Victorian Order (RVO) in recognition of their service to the Queen, as part of a special set of Demise awards.
Awards under the RVO are in the King’s gift and are bestowed independently of Downing Street to people who have served the monarch or the royal family in a personal way.
The unit had a close connection with the Queen – as the serving monarch she held the position of company commander and made a personal review of the company every decade.
After watching them carrying out their duties in some of the most poignant moments of the Queen’s funeral, Tory former minister Eddie Hughes said: ‘I held my breath for every step… These lads are amazing.’
Fellow Tory MP Tom Hunt said at the time: ‘I can’t imagine how hard and emotionally challenging it must have been to have carried Her Late Majesty’s coffin just once.
‘They’ve done it time and time again this week. With billions watching. They’ve done Her Late Majesty and the country proud.’
Carla Lockhart, Upper Bann’s DUP MP, said: ‘Amidst the pageantry and occasion, eight young men silently went about their duty.
‘The weight of the world on their shoulders, the glare of the world on them, but they were flawless.
‘They did themselves, their families and our country proud. Thank you.’
The late Queen’s closest adviser, Angela Kelly, has also been recognised by the King alongside other royal aides, and many who played important roles during her funeral.
The honours list also featured RAF flight crew who transported the Queen’s coffin from Scotland to London, senior managers from the household and Government, and the late Queen’s stud groom Terry Pendry, who held the reins of the monarch’s pony Emma as the funeral cortege entered Windsor Castle.
Ms Kelly, the late Queen’s personal assistant, adviser and curator, worked for the monarch for more than 25 years and was made a Commander of the RVO.