The funeral of Prince Philip, began with a minute’s silence today
ahead of an intimate service attended by 30 people including members of the
royal family at St. George’s Chapel, which lies within the grounds of Windsor
Castle.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, died at the age
of 99 on April, 9 in Windsor Castle. He was the nation’s longest-serving
consort, the name used to describe the spouse of a reigning monarch and had
been married to the Queen for 73 years.
While the service is a muted affair, by royal standards, the
duke was intimately involved in its planning, selecting the music and ensuring
the ceremony reflects his military affiliations and personal interests.
Those in attendance included senior members of the royal family
as well as relatives and close friends of the duke, among them Bernhard,
Hereditary Prince of Baden, Penny Brabourne, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and
Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse.
But while the ceremony is limited to 30 people inside, in
line with public health rules, more than 700 military personnel provided
ceremonial support outside in honor of Prince Philip’s own decorated military
career. Members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air
Force were all in attendance.
Ahead of the ceremony, the duke’s coffin, draped with his
personal flag, his sword, naval cap and a wreath of flowers laid on top, was
taken to the chapel from Windsor Castle in a procession led by the Band of the
Grenadier Guards.
In keeping with the duke’s wishes, the coffin was carried by
a modified Land Rover, which he helped design. The vehicle was followed in a
procession on foot by senior members of the family.
Family members were not dressed in military uniform, in a
break with tradition, instead donning morning coats with medals or day dresses.
The Queen arrived at the chapel separately, attended by a
lady in waiting.
Meanwhile, the rest of the congregation, including Camilla,
the Duches of Cornwall; Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Beatrice;
Princess Eugenie, and other family members arrived at the chapel by car.
Prince Harry’s wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who is
pregnant with the couple’s second child, was not in attendance after her doctor
advised against international travel.
Speaking of his grandfather after returning to the UK last
week, Prince Harry said he was “a man of service, honor and great humor, with a seriously sharp wit.”
Harry’s brother William, the Duke of Cambridge, said Prince
Philip was an “extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary
generation” with an “infectious sense of adventure.”
