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Prince Philip funeral: royal family mourns after Duke of Edinburgh laid to rest – as it happened

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 Updated 
Sat 17 Apr 2021 12.54 EDTFirst published on Sat 17 Apr 2021 06.55 EDT

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Prince Philip funeral: key moments as royal family bids farewell – video

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A minute’s silence was marked across the UK at 3pm to honour Prince Philip:

National minute's silence marks funeral of Prince Philip – video

After attending today’s ceremony, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also marked the death of Prince Philip with a statement on Twitter.

The Duke of Edinburgh was a devoted consort to Her Majesty The Queen for nearly 70 years, from Her Majesty’s Accession in 1952 until his death. pic.twitter.com/MVa8BpBysJ

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 17, 2021

Here are some of the key images from today’s ceremony:

The coffin is taken from the Landrover hearse during the procession ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral at St George’s chapel in Windsor Castle. Photograph: Richard Pohle/AP
A member of the military stands on the grounds of Windsor Castle on the day of the funeral of Prince Philip, with flowers from members of the public laid in the background. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
Pall Bearers carrying the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh, followed by the Prince of Wales, left and Princess Anne, right, into St George’s Chapel. Photograph: Danny Lawson/AP
Prince William and Prince Harry follow the hearse, a specially modified Land Rover, towards St. George’s Chapel. Photograph: Reuters
Caroline Davies
Caroline Davies

“When future historians come to retell the story of the pandemic, the image of the Queen sitting alone, masked and in mourning, will surely rank among the most poignant.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s final farewell at St George’s Chapel was like no other royal funeral. And though not a family like any other, with mourners limited to 30 and only the pallbearers not socially distanced, it was in no small way symbolic.”

You can read the full report on today’s events from my colleague Caroline Davies:

Boris Johnson also marked the minute’s silence at his country home in Chequers.

The prime minister appeared with his head bowed and dressed in black, and later tweeted a the photograph captioned: “In Memoriam HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021.”

Johnson would ordinarily have attended a royal funeral such as this, but gave up his place for another family member, amid coronavirus restrictions which capped the number of attendees at 30.

In Memoriam HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021. pic.twitter.com/QoKgxOYnt5

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 17, 2021

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has expressed her “deepest condolences” to the Queen and royal family on the day of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.

“On behalf of the people of Scotland, I once again express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family. The many tributes paid to the Duke of Edinburgh in recent days have shown the depth of his contribution to public life over more than 70 years as well as his longstanding ties to Scotland,” she said.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon observes a minute’s silence outside Bute House on April 17, 2021 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Photograph: Getty Images

“Many have reflected on his distinguished wartime record, his commitment to countless charities and organisations, and his love and support for the Queen throughout their marriage.

“Today, as the Queen and the Royal Family mourn the death of a loved one, we take this opportunity to celebrate and honour an extraordinary life.”

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Summary of today's events

The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral has now finished. Here’s a summary of the key moments from today’s events:

  • The service was meticulously planned by the duke himself, from the songs to the readings. His coffin was carried on a modified Land Rover, which Philip helped to design. You can read the timeline of events in the ceremony.
  • Just 30 people were allowed to attend due to coronavirus restrictions. You can read the full list of attendees here.
  • Philip’s coffin was taken to St George’s Chapel in a procession, with the Land Rover followed by his children, Princes William and Harry, and their cousin Peter Phillips.
  • There was a minute’s silence, which was marked across the UK and around the world.
  • The ceremony was led by the archbishop of Canterbury and dean of Windsor, who spoke of the “unwavering support” Philip gave the Queen over their 73-year marriage.
  • The Queen was forced to sit alone due to coronavirus restrictions, with the few attendees sitting in household bubbles. She was accompanied on the way to the chapel by a close lady-in-waiting.
  • Princes William and Harry sat opposite one another in the chapel and could be seen chatting together after the service, amid rumours of a rift in recent years.
  • In Corfu, Philip’s birthplace, a ceremony was conducted in the duke’s honour. The royal was reputedly born on the kitchen table of the Mon Repos palace at 10am on 10 June 1921.
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The defence secretary has described it as an “honour” to have served alongside the duke.

On behalf of the Armed Forces it has been an honour for us to have served alongside HRH The Duke of Edinburgh over the years. I am proud that on this day they have been able to accompany him to his place of rest and display to the nation the devotion we all held for him.

— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) April 17, 2021

Charles Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, described the ceremony as “stunningly moving”.

Goodness - what a stunningly moving ceremony.

— Charles Spencer (@cspencer1508) April 17, 2021

Play at the World Snooker Championship was paused for a moment of silence at 3pm, to mark Prince Philip’s funeral.

All four players and the two referees wore black armbands in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh.

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Rhi Storer
Rhi Storer

My colleague Rhi Storer has this report from Windsor:

Beautiful blues skies stretched over Windsor this afternoon, as despite coronavirus restrictions, crowds gathered outside the castle to pay respects to the Duke of Edinburgh. Almost all of the crowd wore masks, with a few British flags flying.

The atmosphere was stark. Those who travelled to witness history were sombre, and those who lived in Windsor were sombre, with passersby referencing Prince Philip as “the nation’s grandfather”. Shops near Windsor Castle had their doors wide open, while the faint sound of ceremonial gunshots could be heard inside the castle walls.

Much of the conversation in outdoor bars and coffee shops was about the royal family. Joannie Peak, the owner of Fortescues, a new coffee shop in an alleyway just off Windsor Castle, said of Prince Philip’s death: “I remember seeing an old couple in their 70’s or 80’s at the gate way praying. Women were coming up to lay flowers. My daughter was one of the first to lay flowers. I’ve still got goose pimples thinking about it now.”

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At the beginning and end of minute’s silence ahead of the funeral service, the armed forces conducted a ceremonial gun fire at nine locations.

At Edinburgh Castle, a gun salute was fired at 3pm, followed by a single round at 3pm.

A handout photo made available by the British Ministry of Defense shows a gun salute at Edinburgh Castle. Photograph: Cpl Nathan Tanuku Rlc/MOD/EPA

In London, a gun salute was fired at the same time at the Tower of London.

A gun salute at the Tower of London. Photograph: Cpl Ed Wright/RAF/EPA

In Northern Ireland, the first minister, Arlene Foster, marked the minute’s silence.

Arlene Foster, along with Deborah Erskime, Piper Aaron Elliott, Keith Elliott, Cllr Errol Thompson, Cllr Mark Buchanan and Cllr Paul Robinson, observe a minute’s silence at Enniskillen Castle, Co Fermanagh. Photograph: Mark Marlow/PA
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Helena Smith
Helena Smith

Over in Corfu, the Duke of Edinburgh’s birthplace, a memorial service has been conducted in honour of Philip.

The royal was reputedly born on the kitchen table of the Mon Repos palace at 10am on 10 June 1921.

“He was born here, he is part of our history,” Corfu’s mayor, Meropi Ydraiou, told the Guardian. “His death has been widely discussed. It’s touched a lot of older people who still have memories of the royal family and has been cause for the younger generation to learn about our island’s past.”

In a rare honour, the 40-minute memorial was overseen by Corfu’s leading cleric, Bishop Nektarios, in the Cathedral of Ayios Spyridonas.

Sixth in line to the Greek throne, the prince was registered at Corfu’s town hall under the name of Philippos. The then mayor, Alexandros Kokotos, was among the five godparents of the baby boy.

A never-before published photograph of a 12-year-old Prince Philip, which the Guardian was given access to by the family of the closest aide of Prince Andrew, Philip’s father. Photograph: Petrallia family historic archives

“He was appointed Philip’s godfather in the name of the town hall and the people of Corfu which is why the prince holds a place of special affection in our hearts,” said Ydraiou.

Built by the British, when the United States of the Ionian Islands were a British protectorate, the neo-classical villa was used by the royals as a summer palace until the monarchy was ousted by popular referendum in 1974.

Philip, who was whisked out of the island as a toddler after his father was threatened with execution for his role in Greece’s catastrophic 1922 Asia Minor campaign, only ever returned once.

In recent days members of the island’s large 9,000-strong British community have been laying flowers at the entrance of the estate.

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The Queen is being driven away from the chapel, back to her royal apartment.

Meanwhile, other members of the family are chatting outside the chapel as they leave the service.

Princes Harry and William are walking and talking together.

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The service concludes

The service is now over, and the Queen is being led by the dean Windsor out of the chapel.

Members of the royal family follow her out.

In the background, Luke Bond, the assistant director of music at St George’s Chapel, plays Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546, by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Outside the chapel the scene is much quieter, with the military personnel who were stationed outside having now departed.

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