The shift in funeral practices since the death of Queen Elizabeth II – quotes from Jeremy Field, Managing Director at C.P.J Field, the UK’s longest running funeral directors.

Impact of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and her public funeral:

“The death of the beloved monarch Queen Elizabeth II and her subsequent funeral was indeed a significant national moment and one that triggered a rise in open and honest conversations surrounding grief and the death of family and friends. The Queen’s death evoked a collective sense of nostalgia, and the shared grief served as a catalyst for people to reflect on their own experiences, particularly concerning elderly relatives or figures who held personal significance in their lives.”

“However, the most recent event that has transformed consumer behaviours towards funerals was the COVID-19 pandemic. The enduring image of the Queen mourning HRH Prince Philip speaks to the significant challenges presented to the traditional ways of mourning and commemorating deceased people. The disruption of lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings, and health concerns forced people to find alternative ways to connect and pay their respects, leading to innovative solutions such as virtual ceremonies and smaller, intimate gatherings.”

“The combination of The Queen mourning Prince Philip and the collective experiences of grief brought about by the pandemic has influenced a shift in consumer behaviours and attitudes towards funerals. People are seeking more meaningful and authentic ways to celebrate the lives of their loved ones, valuing the emotional connection.”

The evolution in funeral practices – technology, tradition and religion:

“Particularly since COVID-19, there has been an increase in the incorporation of online elements into funerals showing how the funeral industry has adapted to changing circumstances. CPJ Field offers virtual broadcasting to make funerals more inclusive and accessible to those can’t travel to an in-person memorial, online condolence pages where messages of support and memories of the deceased person can be shared as well as the use of QR codes to direct mourners to online donation pages for in-memory charitable donations.”

“When it comes to exploring how royal funerals have evolved over the years, these remain steeped in tradition. The historical significance of certain funeral traditions, like the use of naval ratings from the Royal Navy to pull the coffin on gun carriage up the steps of Westminster Abbey, carries echoes of the past and were used in funerals such as Queen Victoria I. Over time, this funeral ritual became symbolic and reflective of the continuity of the monarchy. Echoes of such traditions were in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, but despite tradition playing a significant role, there was room for personalisation, with the flowers topping Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as it travelled from Balmoral to Edinburgh where all flora taken from the Balmoral estate.”

“This growing sense of personalisation as part of funeral services has been seen more widely recently. The changing landscape of religion’s influence on funeral ceremonies is indeed a significant evolution in ordinary funerals, whereby religious rituals and customs that often played a central role in shaping the structure and content of funeral services is changing. Whilst there are religions that still have a strong influence, in the 2021 census 37.2% (from 25.2%) recorded that funerals have no religion while 46.2% of the population said that their religion is Christian which is down from 59.3% in 2011, which highlights a departure from this traditional approach. This evolution away from religious influence in funeral ceremonies has led to greater diversity, personalisation, and active participation, fostering ceremonies that are uniquely tailored to celebrate the lives of the deceased person in ways that are meaningful and relevant to those in attendance, including varied choices in music and more unique readings at funerals. CPJ Field believes in the value of a meaningful and relevant funeral that reflect the life of the person who has died, and they provide a transitionary experience to those left to make sense of it all.”

How funerals are expected to evolve over the next decades:

“The rise in cremations in recent years now makes this the most popular funeral choice, as indicated by research conducted by Cremation Society. Data shows an increase from 74% in 2002 to over 80% in 2022, reflecting changing attitudes and preferences surrounding funeral practices. With cremations becoming more prevalent, crematoriums are taking on an increasingly central role in the funeral ceremony.”

“The use of audio-video to bring memories into the funeral ceremony is something that will continue to evolve and become a key factor in funerals ongoing. This includes video clips taken from phones, photos and music relevant to the life of the deceased person. These developments reflect a broader societal trend towards celebrating life and creating ceremonies that resonate with the experiences and values of today, something that CPJ Field values for its customers.”

A take on alternative funeral options:

“Now is the time we are beginning to witness alternative methods of disposing of the dead. Resomation, colloquially known as water cremation, and composting are examples of these alternative methods that are gaining attention for their potential environmental benefits. The main motivation for these alternative funeral options is to reduce the impact of our activities on the environment. Most cremations currently involve the use of natural gas which is not a sustainable position and the English burial tradition is for burial in perpetuity. There is not enough cemetery space, woodland or traditional, for this to be sustainable ongoing.”

“At CPJ Field we have a real willingness to engage with these alternative methods once the law in England and Wales allows for other practices than burial and cremation, which have been the only funeral options since the 19th century. For now, cremation is here to stay.”

“A forward-thinking approach to the evolving preferences of individuals and the growing importance of sustainability in end-of-life practices is needed – at CPJ Field we offer sustainable and environmentally friendly options for funerals and work with a number of woodland burial grounds across the Southeast. By regulating aspects such as coffin materials, body preparation, items placed in coffins, clothing, landscaping, and tree planting, these burial grounds are creating a harmonious balance between honouring the deceased person and respecting the environment. The use of more hybrid and electric vehicles by CPJ Field, including electric hearses based on the Nissan Leaf, also represents a step towards reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional funeral processions.”