The funeral ceremony for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be attended by 30 people. This is stated in a message on the Buckingham Palace website, published on April 15.
The number of participants in the funeral was limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prince William and his wife and Prince Harry, who flew to the UK from the United States, will say goodbye to their grandfather. His wife Meghan Markle did not come with him due to pregnancy.
Also at the funeral will be Prince Charles of Wales with Duchess Camilla of Cornwall, Princess Anne with Sir Timothy Lawrence, Duke of York Andrew, Earl of Wessex Edward with Sophie Rhys-Jones.
The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will be a “ceremonial royal burial,” just like that of the Queen Mother. This will not be a “state ceremony” due to monarchs. The Dean of Windsor will conduct the funeral service and the Archbishop of Canterbury will deliver the Blessing.
“The funeral will be broadcast live on television and radio so that people from all over the world can take part in the mourning for the duke,” the message says.
The procession starts on April 17 at 14:45 (16:45 Moscow time) at the main gate of the castle, it will end eight minutes later at the chapel of St. George. Later, the memory of Prince Philip will be honored with a minute of silence.
According to Gazeta.ru, British princes William and his younger brother Harry will be separated during the funeral procession by their cousin Peter Phillips while following the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Philip of Britain will be buried in the grounds of St George’s Chapel in the lower courtyard of Windsor Castle in an English oak coffin with lead sheathing. The coffins for the prince and his wife were made over 30 years ago and are kept at the Leverton & Sons funeral home.
Prince Philip passed away on April 9, two months before his 100th birthday. He and Queen Elizabeth II had been married for 73 years.