Dubbed the coronation ‘Grim Reaper’, during the official ceremony at Westminster Abbey on May 6, a shadowy, hooded figure was seen passing through the doorway in a hurried manner.
Dressed in a head-to-toe black cloak and carrying a pointed staff, Internet users couldn’t help but question who this mystery figure is.
The unscheduled ‘Grim Reaper’ appearance immediately reached viral status, with some even going so far as to attribute the attendee’s identity to the not-present Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
“Why is the Grim Reaper at the Coronation celebrations !!” one user Tweeted. “Who is that?!” another replied anxiously. After much speculation, however, the rumors have finally been put to rest. The supposed deathmonger appearance was in fact a verger.
While not an official part of the ceremony, a verger is charged with attending the church. Acting as a caretaker, they assist with church services and sometimes carry a rod before a bishop or dean as a symbol of status.
Finally, we can rest easy as the ‘suspicious’ ceremony appearance was simply a backstage blip.