Royal Funerals: a history
Dr Helen Frisby
- Region:
- Anywhere
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Academic, Hobby, Rotary
- Fee:
- Paid: £60.00 plus travel/subsistence as agreed
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 6th March 2026
- Tagged:
- Funerals | Royalty | Royal Family | History
This talk with Dr Helen Frisby, author of the Shire book Traditions of Death and Burial, explores royal funeral customs from Anglo-Saxon times to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Some royal funeral customs are virtually unchanged down the centuries, while others have evolved along with changing ideas about royal power and general social mores. Meanwhile many monarchs have added their own personal touches to their funerals, and of course accidents happen too – so why do only some of these then become ‘traditions’? In answering this question we get to the heart of why funerals matter at all.
Views: 1530 | Enquiries: 1About Dr Helen Frisby
Based on two decades of research, my scholarly yet sympathetic talks about funeral customs past, present and future will get your group thinking and talking about how do we deal with this inevitable fact of life.
With a PhD on the history and folklore of death, dying and funerals, my publications include the Shire Library book 'Traditions of Death and Burial'. I've appeared on the History Channel with Johnny Vaughan, and on BBC and Australian national radio. I work with all sorts of groups large and small, and would love to hear from you!
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