Everything you need to know about Prince Philip's funeral (in 5 points)
The last time the UK mourned the disappearance of a prominent member of Buckingham Palace was in 2002, with the death of the ultra-centennial Queen Mother.
The mourning of a royal is already a historical event in itself: if the royal is the Prince Consort of the crown of England, the most powerful and famous in the world, it is even more so. The last time the UK mourned the passing of a prominent member of Buckingham Palace was in 2002, with the death of the ultra-centennial Queen Mother. In the case of Prince Philip, however, the death during a pandemic and quarantine (which only on Monday, April 12, 2021 will begin to ease in the country) is simply an unprecedented fact.
Will there be a state funeral? Will British citizens be able to attend the funeral ceremony and say goodbye to their prince who has supported the Queen for over 70 years? Will people all over the world, from former Commonwealth subjects and fans of royal affairs, get the chance to see the event like Royal Wedding? Here are 5 answers to everything you need to know.
1 - Operation Forth Bridge
The plan for the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral has been meticulously researched for a long time. Given the advanced age and precarious health conditions, the Bukcing Palace machine had been moving for years with a program called in code “Operation Forth Bridge”, a name that has a history and must be explained. Literally it would be "Operation Bridge over the Forth" because for the death of each member of the royal family it was given the name of an English bridge: Elizabeth has the code name, quite intuitively, of "London Bridge". Philip is named after the bridge over the River Forth in Scotland, in deference to his title of Duke of Edinburgh. As the husband of the Sovereign, Philip is entitled to a state funeral, with the coffin pulled by horses and cannon salvos (which, however, could still be fired). At the express request of the Prince himself, who preferred something "less opulent", there will not be a state funeral or even an exhibition of the coffin, but only a minor event officially known as the "Royal Ceremonial Funeral". ): the funeral will be held on Saturday 17 April at 3 pm. The town will observe a minute of silence.
It will be a military-style ceremony in St George's Chapel, the private church inside Windsor Castle, where Harry and Meghan got married three years ago. The body will be buried in the gardens of Frogmore Cottage, the former residence of Queen Victoria (and for two years, until her flight to America, the nest of the newlyweds Harry and Meghan), next to the nineteenth-century sovereign and her husband, the Prince. Alberto. Prince Harry will be present, but not Meghan.
2 - Speech to the Nation
Immediately after the announcement of his death, which took place on April 9, 2021, the Queen herself will have to give the Lord Chamberlain, a role held by Baron Parker of Minsmere (former director of MI5, the secret services, who entered service as Chamberlain just a month ago ), his formal approval for the details of the funeral. It is up to the royal house to issue any invitations to the governments of the world for the participation of monarchs, prime ministers and religious leaders at the funeral. It is likely that the Queen will make a speech to the nation, but the date of the appearance on TV is not yet known.
3 - National Mourning
A period of national mourning has been announced, which will extend until the funeral: the duration is estimated at 8 days, which suggests that the funeral will be held on April 17, as confirmed in the evening by Buckingham Palace. As a public sign of “mourning” (“mourning”), all flags will be hoisted at mid-mast for all eight days; the Ceremonial Mace, kept in the House of Commons, the chamber of deputies in Parliament, will be covered with a black cloth and all the deputies will wear a black sash on the left arm, with the obligation of a black tie for men. All members of the royal family are required to wear mourning clothes (not necessarily black) black armbands. Curiosity of the ceremonial: the mourning suit is always put in a suitcase when every royal goes on a journey, in case he needs to. During the mourning period, the Queen does not carry out any public engagement. Which also implies that no law can be passed. A state visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to India was planned: at the moment the trip has not been confirmed. Another consequence is the immediate suspension of the electoral campaign in progress for the local administrative elections and those of the Scottish Parliament. The autonomous government of Scotland has announced the "purdah": the government does not make announcements and no politician can go on TV, give interviews or make speeches.
4 - Line of Succession
Like any commoner (ordinary British citizen), Prince Philip has drawn up a personal will, which will be opened after the funeral and where his last wishes will be known. However, death has no impact on the line of succession to the throne of Great Britain: as Prince Consort (a title obtained after his marriage to Elizabeth), Philip was in no way linked to the inheritance of the crown which remains intact. The future king of England will be Prince Charles: when the son of Elizabeth and Philip is crowned he will "free" a place among the princes: little Archie Arrison Mountbatten, the youngest son of the Windsor family, will receive the title of "Prince".
5 - Covid and Mourning
Mourning falls while the country is still under lockdown. The planned reopening of shops, restaurants and pubs on Monday, April 12, is confirmed, but all other restrictions remain in place. Which means no media coverage for the ceremony and even a few select members of the royal family at the funeral. Many wonder if the "riotous" Prince Harry will return from California. If he did, it would be a gesture of reconciliation, but Harry, like any person returning from abroad, will have to respect the 5-day quarantine (unless an extraordinary exemption). If he decides not to participate, it would be an irremediable fracture and a great lack of respect for the Queen.As a measure to reduce infections, the family has urged the subjects not to gather at Buckingham Palace and not to deposit flowers. The advice for now has not been taken literally because there is a continuous procession of people in front of the building. It's not Lady Diana's ocean-going crowd, but it's still enough to cause concern about contagions. Instead of traditional flowers, an official Buckingham Palace internet channel has been opened where people can leave "digital condolences".
