Queen Elizabeth II's funeral was 10 days ago. What will happen to the floral tributes?
One of the concerns that followed the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, was what will happen to the Queen's corgis. Well, that has been answered (they will live with Andrew).
Now, people are concerned about what will happen to the floral tributes that were placed across London for the Queen.
What's happening now? Earlier this week, The Royal Parks (a charitable organisation) staff and volunteers began the process of removing the floral tributes left to honour the late Queen at:
- Green Park
- Hyde Park
- St James' Park
- Regents Park
- Kensington Gardens
Tens of thousands of mourners travelled to London to pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace with flowers, cards, soft toys and even orange marmalade sandwich. The royal staff also loaded armfuls of flowers into a horse-drawn cart, as did the volunteers.
What will happen to the flowers? Heath and Nobby, a pair of royal horses, moved the floral tributes to the Leaf Pen, where they will be blended with leaf litter and other green waste before being composted.
- The compost will then be used to enrich the soil of London's Royal Parks, including the iconic floral displays outside Buckingham Palace, which have served as the backdrop for ceremonial processions.
- The compost will also be used for landscaping projects and shrubberies.
What else?
According to The Royal Parks, these items will be stored "carefully" before a decision is made about their final use. Plastic wastes will be separated and the rest of the items will be recycled.