The royal funeral was watched by people all over the world. Were it not for the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of Britons would have said goodbye, as was the case, for example, at the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002. However, due to restrictions, they were forced to watch the mourning ceremony only on television screens.
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The coffin with Prince Philip’s body was transported on Saturday morning to the Inner Hall located in the representative premises of Windsor Castle. Here, Queen Elizabeth II also said goodbye to her husband for the last time in private.
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Elizabeth II. she has to sit alone during the funeral due to anti-antidote measures.
Photo: Reuters
Prince Charles with Duchess Camilla
Photo: Reuters
Princes William and Harry with the Duchess Kate and the Archbishop of Canterbury shortly after the ceremony.
Photo: Reuters
The upper courtyard, called the Quadrangle, was filled with members of the military who reminded the prince of his military career and his relationship with the armed forces. The mourning procession was led by a military band of British grenadiers, in front of a Land Rover car, which drove the prince’s remains and in the design of which the prince himself participated, army officials walked.
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The funeral of Prince Philip
Photo: Reuters
Behind the car were the prince’s children — Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward — followed by the prince’s grandchildren, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Peter Phillips, Princess Anne’s son.
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The tabloids speculated that Harry and William would walk side by side. The palace seemed to decide Solomon, and Phillips walked between them.
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The coffin is translated into a specially adapted Land Rover, designed by Prince Philip himself.
Photo: Reuters
The Queen Elizabeth II. enters the chapel of St. George.
Photo: Reuters
Members of the armed forces line the procession.
Photo: Reuters
Behind them walked Lord Snowdon, the son of the Queen’s sister Margaret, and Sir Tim Laurence, the second husband of Princess Anne. Behind them, the queen’s closest staff in the palace and procession closed in the Bentley.
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The ceremony began with a minute of silence
After the procession took place in front of St. George’s Chapel and the coffin was carried inside, the nationwide minute of silence began.
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All of Britain holds a minute of silence for the late Prince Philip.
Photo: Reuters
The queen sat alone during the ceremony, the other members of the royal family had to be at least two meters away according to the regulations in force.
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Chapel of St. George
Photo: Profimedia.cz
The ceremony was held in the spirit of the prince’s love of the navy and the sea. The hymn Eternal Father, strong to save from the 19th century and inspired by Psalm 107, which speaks of danger at sea, is heard. The sermon of the Windsor Dean, the Rev. David Conner, will be in a similar spirit.
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The ceremony ended with a British anthem. Then the coffin was placed in the crypt of the chapel of St. George, where it will remain until the death of Queen Elizabeth II. After that, both spouses will be laid to rest forever together in the chapel of George VI.
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Only family participates
Under normal circumstances, about 800 people would take part in the ceremony in St. George’s Chapel. However, due to the measures, only 30 people could attend the funeral.
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Shortly after the prince’s death, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that, given the very limited number of participants in the funeral, he would not attend so as not to take his place.
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Even so, the British media say that it was very difficult for the queen and the palace to choose only thirty people.
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The funeral was attended by three of Philip’s relatives from Germany: Philip’s pigs Prince Bernhard of Baden, Prince Donatus, Lrabrab Hessen and Prince Phillip Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
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