How will Queen bid final goodbye to Prince Philip? Monarch to spend private moment with coffin before funeral
Queen Elizabeth is reportedly scheduled to bid Prince Philip a final goodbye in private before his coffin is transported out of Windsor Castle.
The grieving 94-year-old monarch will get to spend one last moment alone with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as the royal family prepares for the funeral service, the Daily Mirror reported.
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According to the report, the Queen will be accompanied by a lady-in-waiting as she spends time with her husband for a moment of reflection before his final journey to St George's Chapel.
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were married for over seven decades before he peacefully passed away on April 9 at the age of 99. The doting couple first met at a wedding in 1934, when Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark took the holy vows with Prince George, Duke of Kent, per the report.
The Queen shared one of her favorite photographs with her consort on the eve of the funeral. The photo showed her and Philip smiling as they basked in the sun at the Coyles of Muick in Aberdeenshire. Philip appears relaxed under the sun next to his wife. According to the report, the moment was snapped by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, during a summer holiday in 2003.
The Queen has been described as the "epitome of dignity" this week as she personally oversaw funeral preparations while mourning the loss of her husband, a source close to the royal family told the Daily Mail. The monarch will sit without company during the socially distanced funeral and wear a face mask due to Covid restrictions. As previously reported, only 30 people are allowed in attendance at the dialed down service, which will be broadcast on major TV networks including BBC One, ITV and Sky.
The royal family said in a statement that the service will be a "Ceremonial Royal Funeral” that is "very much in line" with the wishes of Prince Philip. His coffin is set to emerge from Windsor Castle and placed onto a custom-made Land Rover hearse, which the late duke himself helped build.
The hearse will be driven to St George’s Chapel flanked by the military, as well as members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Royal Air Force, who will reportedly line the procession route. The eight-minute funeral procession will see members of the royal family being led by Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Meanwhile, the Queen will join the procession, reportedly traveling by car.
After arriving at the chapel, the coffin will be carried up the steps while the national anthem is played. The ceremony will then be paused for a national minute's silence at 3 pm. That said, the funeral service will reportedly be conducted by the Dean of Windsor and is expected to last around 50 minutes. According to the report, a choir of four will sing pieces of music chosen by the Duke of Edinburgh, before his coffin is lowered into the royal vault.
Prince Philip died on Friday, April 9, after leading an extraordinary life. He was born into the Greek and Danish royal families in Greece, but his family was exiled from the country when he was just eighteen months old. MEAWW previously reported how Philip had escaped war-torn Greece in a small cot crafted from a fruit box.