Even Harry, without Meghan, on Saturday 17 at the funeral of his grandfather Philip
The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will be celebrated according to the ceremonial of the Royal Family but will not be a state funeral
London, April 10, 2021 - Prince Philip's funeral will take place on Saturday April 17 at 3pm (4pm in Italy) in St George's Chapel in Windsor. This was announced in a Buckingham Palace statement. A minute of silence will be observed throughout the country. And for the royal family it will be a moment of reunion after Harry's "tear".
Queen Elizabeth II, her children and her grandchildren will in fact be present at the funeral, codenamed "Operation Forth Bridge". The Duke of Sussex, Harry, has confirmed that he will return from California for the funeral, his wife Meghan will not be there because his doctor has deemed not in the conditions to travel due to the pregnancy. The funeral of his grandfather, Philip of Edinburgh, could represent for Prince Harry the possibility of repairing the "profound damage" caused by the shocking interview with his wife Meghan Markle in Oprha Winfrey, say the royal experts as reported by the Daily Mail. Meanwhile, it became known that Queen Elizabeth II's nephew spoke with some members of the royal family in view of his expected return to the United Kingdom. According to sources in the Mirror, Harry has already spoken with some family members, including his father Carlo and cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, but not with his brother William or the Queen: "He said he wants to be with everyone and that he is planning to come home ".
No funeral home
The ceremony "will celebrate and reflect" on a life of service to the nation, has been adapted to the circumstances imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Buckingham Palace announced. Before the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh, which will be celebrated in accordance with Royal Family ceremonial but will not be a state funeral, eight days of national mourning will be observed in the UK. There will be no funeral parlor open to the public. "While this is a time of sadness and pain, the next few days will be an opportunity to celebrate a remarkable life," said a Buckingham Palace spokesperson.
The ceremonial
On the day of the funeral, the coffin will be transported along the short path that separates the royal apartments of Windsor Castle from St George's Chapel, where the ceremony will take place. Members of the royal family, including the heir to the throne Charles, will follow the coffin on foot, while the queen will reach the chapel separately. After the ceremony, the Duke of Edinburgh will be interred in the Royal Vault of the chapel, where numerous members of the royal family are buried, including three rulers: George III, George IV and William IV. Henry VIII, one of the most important monarchs in English and British history, is buried in the Choir of the Chapel of San GIorgio. Starting in the 19th century, St George's Chapel and (in the case of Queen Victoria) the nearby Frogmore Gardens replaced Westminster Abbey as the burial place of the members of the British monarchy. Even Queen Elizabeth has already chosen the chapel as the place of her burial.
Boris Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not attend Prince Philip's funeral so he can hand over his seat to a member of the royal family. Downing Street communicated this, explaining that the decision was made in order to comply with the current anti-Covid restrictions, which provide for the participation of no more than 30 people at a funeral. "The prime minister intends to act on what is best for the royal family, so that he can allow as many family members as possible to attend Saturday's funeral," a Downing Street spokesperson said, explaining that according to the current rules "only 30 people will be able to attend the funeral of HRH Prince Philip".
