The Truth About Queen Victoria's Bizarre Funeral

History Extra tells us that Queen Victoria wanted a real funeral. Not some hushed laying to rest, quiet blubbering into bits of monogrammed silk, a prelate muttering about "ashes to ashes," but a full military funeral. She didn't want to be embalmed, and charcoal was spread across the bottom of the casket — you know, for the stench. She didn't want a death mask made, but they made one anyway. (Imagine the interview for that job.)

Placed in the coffin with her were family heirlooms, but they weren't from her family. After the death of Prince Albert, Victoria grew very close to her attendant, a man named John Brown (pictured above). We're talking very close. Some wags even referred to her as "Mrs. Brown," though probably not to her face. But going back to the funeral, the wedding ring of John Brown's mother was placed on her finger. Also in the coffin was a lock of John Brown's hair and one of his handkerchiefs. And lest she forget, there was a photograph of Prince Albert. No, we're kidding. It was a snap of John Brown.

The funeral procession took place on February 1 and lasted two hours. When the horses broke free of the gun carriage bearing her casket, the naval honor guard pitched in to pull the carriage to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. On February 4, she was interred in a mausoleum near Windsor, at Frogmore (not Frogless — we're talking royalty here, so there would be no skimping on frogs). The whole shebang cost £35,500, which is around £4.5 million in today's money.

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