Sticker on hearse carrying the Queen's coffin mysteriously vanishes mid-journey

An advert for the undertaker being used to move the Queen's coffin mysteriously disappeared en route after the hearse left her estate in Balmoral, Scotland.

Undertakers began transporting the coffin on Sunday (11 September) following the Queen's passing in Scotland on Thursday, with viewers noting the words 'William Purves' partially obstructed the view of the coffin through a window.

The sticker advertised the business chosen by the Lord Chamberlain's Office to transport the Queen's oak coffin across Scotland to the royal Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, but it received backlash from onlookers who branded the advert as 'tasteless'.

The trouble with hiring one from the local firm is that you get advertising. They should have peeled that off. I'm sure William Purves are brilliant and will do marvellously but this isn't done. pic.twitter.com/dhe9jLrjst

— Podders (@Morris_Oxford) September 11, 2022

Though the sticker was clearly visible at the start of the journey, which thousands of mourners had gathered on the streets to watch, it had disappeared by the time the hearse reached its destination.

It's thought the advert was removed somewhere along the way, when the procession of vehicles stopped to give the drivers a rest.

However, viewers still had chance to clock the name of the business and flood its website with visits, so much so that it ended up crashing after the hearse first appeared at around 10am on Sunday.

Now that the site has been restored, a message on the homepage describes William Purves as a family-run business and adds: "When you place your trust in William Purves you can expect the highest standards of professionalism, compassionate care and a truly distinct service."

Viewers were glad to see of the sticker removed along the way, though one Twitter user noted it was 'sad to see that it was there in the first place'.

Glad to see that the William Purves logo was removed from the Queen’s hearse somewhere along the route. Sad to see that it was there in the first place. #QueenElizabeth

— T Shepherd (@trevshep) September 11, 2022

The Queen's coffin is set to be relocated again today after spending the night at Holyroodhouse, with the convoy travelling to nearby St. Giles' Cathedral so Her Majesty's body can lie at rest before the coffin is flown to London on Tuesday.

The route will take the procession along the Royal Mile, with King Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne following behind on foot. Mourners will then be able to view the coffin and pay their respects to the Queen from 5pm, according to the City of Edinburgh Council.