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Buckingham Palace Announces Prince Philip Funeral Arrangement. Buckingham Palace, this afternoon announced the funeral arrangements for the deceased Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of the Queen of England.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died on Friday, the 9th of April,2021 at the age of 99 years.
Buckingham Palace announced that the deceased Duke of Edinburgh will be laid to rest on Saturday, the 17th of April, 2021 at the St George’s Chapel in Windsor, London by 3 pm which is 10 a.m. ET.
Arrangements for the funeral have been in the works for many years but the memorial service has had to be stripped back due to the pandemic.
The congregation of mourners will only consist of close family and friends of the beloved patriarch the Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
However, the remembrance will retain the colourful traditions of a royal funeral and “are a reflection of The Duke’s military affiliations and personal elements of His Royal Highness’s life,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said Thursday.
Royal Appreciation
The palace spokesman said the family was “grateful” for the condolence messages sent from across the globe.
“The tributes received from young and old are truly a testament to the remarkable life and lasting endeavours of His Royal Highness,” the Palace spokesman further said.
Buckingham Palace has revealed the 30 people who will make up the congregation at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral service on Saturday.
Things You Need to Know About Prince Philip’s Funeral
More than 700 Armed Forces personnel from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force will provide ceremonial support during the funeral.
Princes William will reunite with his brother, Harry to walk behind the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin with their father, Charles, and other members of the royal family as part of a private procession ahead of the funeral service on Saturday.
Queen Elizabeth II will not take part in the procession before the service but Prince Charles and his sister, Princess Anne will follow in a specially modified Land Rover, which will carry the Duke’s coffin to the chapel. The journey is expected to take around eight minutes
Prince Edward and Prince Andrew will also participate in the procession immediately behind the hearse. William and Harry will come next though they will be separated from walking together by their cousin Peter Philips.
Behind them will be the final family members, Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, and the Earl of Snowdon.
Royals who are not involved in the procession such as the Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge will join the 94-year-old monarch to watch the funeral parade outside the chapel’s Galilee Porch.
Blood relatives from the Duke’s side will be in attendance including Philip’s great-nephews, the Hereditary Prince of Baden and the Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
The decision for some royals to walk behind the coffin will inevitably draw comparisons to Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 when Charles. Remember that William and Harry participated in a similar procession alongside Prince Philip and Diana’s brother Earl Spencer.
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Respecting the Deceased Wishes
Saturday’s memorial will be tempered and reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic. The congregation will wear masks for the duration of the service, the palace spokesman said.
The Duke of Edinburgh wished that his funeral should be a ceremonial funeral, rather than a state event. He also wished that his funeral arrangements take place within Windsor Castle without public engagement making sure to adhere to existing Covid measures.
In a break with tradition, members of the royal family will not be dressed in military uniform and instead don morning coats with medals or day dress, the spokesman added.
During the service, a choir of four will sing music selected by Philip for the occasion. They will be seated in the nave, socially distanced from the assembled family members and close aides.
One notable absence will be the lack of congregational singing which is currently prohibited by public health guidelines. Following the service, the coffin will be lowered in the Royal Vault below the chapel as the choir sings the national anthem.
Royal Funeral Guest List
The confirmed list of the guests who will be attending the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh is shown below:
- The Queen
- The Prince of Wales
- The Duchess of Cornwall
- The Duke of Cambridge
- The Duchess of Cambridge
- The Duke of Sussex
- The Duke of York
- Princess Beatrice
- Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
- Princess Eugenie
- Jack Brooksbank
- The Earl of Wessex
- The Countess of Wessex
- Lady Louise Windsor
- Viscount Severn
- The Princess Royal
- Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence
- Peter Phillips
- Zara Phillips
- Mike Tindall
- Earl of Snowdon
- Lady Sarah Chatto
- Daniel Chatto
- Duke of Gloucester
- Duke of Kent
- Princess Alexandra
- Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden
- Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse
- Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
- The Countess Mountbatten of Burma
