Queen picks just 15 mourners including Harry to attend Prince Philip's wake due to Covid-19 protocols
Prince Philip received a stately sendoff on Saturday, April 17, as his family bid him a final goodbye in Windsor. The Duke of Edinburgh, who loyally served as the Queen's consort for 73 years, died on April 9. The Queen was seen sitting alone at St. George's Chapel as she bowed her head in honor of her husband, while her children, grandchildren, and Philip's German relatives were seated away from her, maintaining social distancing norms.
Only 30 mourners including family members and loved ones attended Prince Philip's funeral service. But just 15 people were allowed to attend the wake that followed, Express UK reported. Besides the Queen, the guest list includes Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and her children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, according to Mirror.
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Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and his children Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as well as Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex have also been invited as per reports. Princess Alexandra, 84, the Queen’s first cousin, who has devoted decades of her life to royal duty and charity work, is also understood to have been invited to the private event.
Covered in his personal standard, the Duke of Edinburgh's casket carried his sword, naval cap, and a wreath of flowers as pallbearers placed him on a custom-made Land Rover hearse (that he had helped design) in Windsor Castle's quadrangle.
A number of royal family members walked behind the coffin as it was transported to St George's Chapel. A national minute's silence was observed after the procession and before the service began.
The Queen was forced to socially distance during the service, due to the ongoing health crisis. Meanwhile, her eldest son sat opposite her and Prince Andrew sat two seats to her left. As reported by the British newspaper, the ceremony reflected Prince Philip's keen interests in nature, the sea, the military, and God.
The service required all mourners inside the chapel to wear face masks throughout. Furthermore, the congregation was barred from singing during the ceremony. However, a quartet of socially distanced singers performed a selection of music chosen by the duke himself.
The service was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dean of Windsor, who thanked the duke for his “resolute faith and loyalty, for his high sense of duty and integrity, for his life of service to the nation and Commonwealth, and for the courage and inspiration of his leadership."
Prince Philip's funeral was limited to just 30 mourners in keeping with coronavirus guidelines, unlike original plans to accommodate at least 800 guests at the funeral ceremony. The guest list for the funeral included the Queen, the Duke's children and grandchildren, as well as their spouses. The list featured Prince Richard, Princess Alexandra, Prince Edward Duke of Kent, Prince Bernhard, Prince Donatus, Prince Philipp, David Armstrong-Jones, Lady Mountbatten, Lady Sarah Chatto, and Daniel Chatto, according to Express UK.
The outlet revealed that the limits were different for the wake that followed since just 15 guests were permitted to attend the private event.
Prince Philip died peacefully after loyally serving as the Queen's consort for over seven decades. He was just two months shy of turning 100, but his lifelong service is being remembered as being full of beautiful memories that will be cherished for generations to come. While the Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest in the grounds of Windsor Castle, his casket will reportedly be moved to where the Queen will be buried when she dies. MEAWW previously reported how fans of the Royal Family had voiced their frustrations at the palace's request to stay at home during the royal sendoff.
"I think it's a disgrace, there should be more people here, especially when there are plans for people to return to football stadiums," Professor Chris Imafidon, from Essex, told Express UK. "It's such a mediocre service for a great man, his contribution to helping working-class people generally has been enormous. He has done so much for this country, there should be a big public celebration of his life," he added.