Royal Family Bid Prince Philip Farewell

The Duke of Edinburgh has been laid to rest in an intimate funeral at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Prince Philip’s “kindness, humour and humanity” during the ceremony.

The congregation wore masks and was socially distanced in line with Covid rules, with the Queen seated alone.

The duke’s children walked behind his coffin in a funeral procession, followed by a national minute’s silence.

More than 730 members of the armed forces took part in the event, but there was a limit of 30 mourners inside St George’s Chapel, under coronavirus rules.

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99.

His coffin was carried the short distance to St George’s Chapel on a modified Land Rover, which the duke himself helped to design.

The funeral procession was headed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the Major General’s party, and military service chiefs.

Princess Anne and Prince Charles made up the front row behind the vehicle, followed by Prince Edward and Prince Andrew.

Prince William and Prince Harry walked either side of their cousin Peter Phillips.

The brothers sat on opposite sides of the aisle but were seen chatting together after they left the service.

Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon also walked behind the coffin, trailed by members of the duke’s household staff.

The Queen, 94, travelled with a lady-in-waiting in the state Bentley at the end of the procession.

A ceremonial gun fire at nine locations across the UK and in Gibraltar marked the start and end of the national minute’s silence.

No planes landed or took off at Heathrow for six minutes to coincide with the silence and all major sporting events were rescheduled to avoid a clash with the funeral.

The funeral service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury pronouncing the blessing.

The Dean paid tribute to Prince Philip’s “kindness, humour and humanity” and the “many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us”.

“We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith,” he said during his bidding.

 

Source: BBC