Prince Phillip's funeral will take place next Saturday

The public are asked not to attend due to Covid

Author: Greg DeanPublished 10th Apr 2021
Last updated 10th Apr 2021

The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will take place next Saturday, April 17th, behind the walls of Windsor Castle.

A nationwide minute's silence will take place as it begins at 3pm.

The public are being asked not to attend due to public health guidance.

Prince Harry's expected to fly back from America for the service, but Meghan, who's pregnant, won't be with him as she has been advised by her physician not to travel.

It was announced yesterday, Friday 9th April, that the Duke of Edinburgh had passed away peacefully.

A Palace spokesman said: This event will be much reduced in scale with no public access.

In line with Government guidelines and public health measures, there will be no public processions and the duke's funeral will take place entirely within the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Prince Philip's funeral will be televised

All public elements of the funeral have been cancelled, it will be televised but take place entirely in the grounds of the castle, the Palace said.

The plans have been given final approval by the Queen and reflect appropriately Government advice, with only 30 people attending the funeral.

Despite these necessary changes, they still very much reflect the personal wishes of the duke.

Although the ceremonial arrangements are reduced, the occasion will still celebrate and recognise the duke's life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the UK and the Commonwealth.''

The Queen has also decided the royal family will enter two weeks of royal mourning, and engagements will continue appropriate to the circumstances, a senior royal official said.

The Queen and the Duke's marriage in pictures

The Royal Wedding

The newly married Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day. They married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey, having announced their engagement in July 1946.

The Coronation

Waving from Buckingham Palace, this time as the newly coronated Queen and Consort of the Monarch. The Queen's coronation took place on 2 June 1953, following the death of her father, King George VI the previous year.

Silver Wedding Anniversary

Their Royal Highnesses celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary at Balmoral in Scotland in 1972.

The new millenium

Prince Philip kisses the Queen as they celebrate entering a new millennium. In the year 2000, they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary.

Duke of Edinburgh receives honour from Queen

In 2013, the Queen presented her husband, Prince Philip, with the Order of New Zealand, the country's highest honour. This was awarded alongside the Queen's birthday honours list in 2012, on the advice of the New Zealand Government.

Sharing a smile

The couple have been frequently caught sharing a smile or a laugh when carrying out visits and Royal duties. Their daughter-in-law, the Countess of Wessex once noted that the success of the pair's relationship was founded in laughter and support. She said: "they make each other laugh, which is half the battle, isn't it?"

Prince Philip's funeral

After 73 years of marriage, Prince Philip passed away aged 99. The Queen had to sit on her own for the funeral due to social distancing rules in place at the time. The Queen described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as leaving "a huge void" in her life.

Read more:

The world pays tribute to Prince Philip

The legacy of the Duke of Edinburgh Award

Looking back at Prince Philip's charity work

Prince Philip: The longest serving Royal consort

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