Funeral of Prince Philip: the striking image of Elizabeth II, alone, facing the coffin
The prince, who died "peacefully" eight days ago at Windsor Castle at the age of 99, now rests in the vault of Saint George's Chapel.
Sitting alone during the ceremony and dressed all in black to the mask, Queen Elizabeth II bid farewell to her husband Prince Philip on Saturday, who has stood by her for more than seven decades with tireless dedication to the crown.
The prince, who died "peacefully" eight days ago at Windsor Castle at the age of 99, now rests in the vault of Saint George's Chapel, on the grounds of the royal residence, after a sober ceremony, pandemic obliges, and millimeter.
His coffin will remain in the crypt of the vault until the queen joins him there. The spouses thus reunited will then have as their final abode the Memorial Chapel of King George VI, father of Elizabeth II.
A few days before her 95th birthday, the Queen paid tribute, surrounded by the closest members of the royal family, to the one she defined as her "strength" and "her support", since her coronation in 1952. Known for her outspokenness and his jokes - sometimes flirting with racism or sexism - the prince consort, with the record longevity in the history of the country, would have been 100 years old on June 10.
Limited ceremony
Limited to 30 people due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ceremony opened at the grounds of Windsor Castle, west London, shortly before 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. HB), at which time the United Kingdom, in national mourning for eight days, observed a minute of silence.
Covered with the Duke of Edinburgh's personal standard, his sword, Navy cap and a wreath of flowers, the coffin was carried in the back of a military green Land Rover that Prince Philip had himself helped conceive for 16 years.
Led by Charles, the Crown Prince, and his sister the Princess Royal Anne, the short procession, followed by the Queen in a Bentley, accompanied the coffin to St George's Chapel for church service.
The procession took place to the sound of the Grenadier Guards fanfare, of which Philip was the colonel for 42 years, recalling the military past of the Duke of Edinburgh, who fought in the navy during World War II.
Many tributes
Although the public had been urged not to congregate outside the royal residences due to the pandemic, Windsor was buzzing with onlookers and locals, bouquets of flowers in hand.
"After the ceremony, I will leave these flowers near the castle," Maggy Kalpar, 45, told AFP. "We were used to his presence", underlines this resident who has lived in Windsor for 18 years, who came "to say goodbye to one of her neighbors": "He is an incredible man who is leaving us, the whole country is so sad" .
Saluting Prince Philip's dedication, Santosh Singh, who came to lay tulips at Buckingham Palace, recounts his grief, and deplores "that over time all that will change for another era."
