Sarah Ferguson joined other members of the royal family on Monday to say a final farewell to the Queen for her state funeral at Westminster Abbey - and paid her own special tribute. Like the other royal ladies, the Duchess of York followed traditional mourning dress protocol and donned a black hat with a lace veil and a smart black coat dress.
But most noticeably, the 62-year-old accessorised the all-black ensemble with a delicate silver brooch pinned to her lapel - which bore a meaningful significance. It was a theme among the females in the royal household to wear pins and brooches in honour of Her Majesty, with little Princess Charlotte also displaying a sentimental horseshoe pin in memory of her 'Gan Gan's' love of horses.
Fergie's silver swallow was fitting for the sombre occasion, as the bird was symbolic within the Victorian era for resembling a symbol of love and mourning. The swallow is also thought to resemble journeys, with a safe return home - poignant for the Queen taking her final journey to Windsor before being laid to rest.
Furthermore, in Christianity, the motif also symbolises the Incarnation of Christ and his Resurrection.
Her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were also in attendance with their husbands, and were spotted supporting their mother outside the Abbey.
Meanwhile, like Fergie, Princess Kate, the Queen Consort, the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Wessex were among the other women wearing traditional black hats and mourning veils to signify their sorrow.
Though not compulsory, mourning veils are traditional dress for royal family females and are a signal that the wearer is grieving for a loved one.
The headpiece is typically crafted from lace, tulle or fine netting material, and allows the person more privacy when they are wearing it.
The Queen made her final journey on bank holiday Monday from Westminster to Windsor with millions of mourners tuning in to watch the momentous state funeral. A service took place at Westminster Abbey with some 2,000 guests in attendance before Her Majesty's coffin travelled across London and then to St George's Chapel in Windsor for the committal service.
The Queen was then finally laid to rest during a private burial service with members of the royal family later that evening.
The Royal Family did not confirm what outfit Her Majesty was dressed in, although experts have expected her to be buried with just two sentimental pieces of jewellery - her Welsh gold wedding bank and a pair of pearl earrings.
Her body was placed alongside her husband Prince Philip's in the King George VI Memorial inside St George's Chapel.
