Prince Philip is laid to rest while the gloomy queen sits alone

WINDSOR Queen Elizabeth sat alone at Prince Philip’s funeral on Saturday and carved a royal but solitary figure: still the monarch, but now alone.

The queen sat apart from family members during the simple but gloomy ceremony at Windsor Castle, in accordance with strict social distance rules during the coronavirus pandemic. But if the ceremony had been for anyone else, her 73-year-old husband would have been by her side, giving the Crown a lifetime of service.

With a face mask, the queen was dressed in black, except for the diamond pin that flashed on her left shoulder – a piece she regularly wore during engagements with her husband.

The four children of the king – Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – sat nearby, as well as the queen and Philip’s eight grandchildren. The stripped-down service has somehow made their loss more personal to people who often live their lives in public.

Only 30 mourners were allowed to attend the service for the prince, who died on April 9 at the age of 99. The entire royal procession and funeral took place outside the public eye on the grounds of the castle, a 950-year-old royal residence. 30 miles west of London, but was televised live.

Hundreds of people stood along the streets outside the castle to pay their respects to the prince. Some held Union flags and clasped flowers, while others wore custom-made face masks with the photo of the royal.

“We are inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the country and the Commonwealth, by his courage, bravery and faith,” Windsor Dean David Conner said in his call to prayer.

The nation honored Philip with a minute of silence observed in the United Kingdom at 3 p.m. The beginning and end were marked by a rifle fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The last shot marked the beginning of a funeral service by military and royal tradition, but conceded with the duke’s personality.

Philip’s body was found on a Land Rover to the St. George Chapel at the castle worn by the prince himself specially designed. This was followed by members of the royal family, including Princess William and Harry, who made their first public appearance together since Harry and his wife, Meghan, gave a controversial interview to American television presenter Oprah Winfrey in which they discussed the problems of royal life. and how the two brothers grew apart.

The march traversed the grounds of Windsor Castle and passed military units under clear blue skies.

Inside the medieval Gothic chapel, the site of centuries of royal weddings and funerals, this service was quiet and without excessive priesthood. Philip was deeply involved in the planning of the ceremony. At his request, there was no sermon. There were also no praises or readings, in keeping with the royal tradition.

Former Bishop of London Richard Chartres, who knew Philip well, said the 50-minute service reflected the preferences of the prince, who was a man of faith, but that things had to be short.

“He was at home with a broad church, a high church and a low church, but what he really liked was a short church,” Chartres told the BBC.

Philip’s coffin was draped according to Philip’s personal standard, on top with his admiral of the navy hood and the sword. The sword was given to him by his father-in-law, King George VI, on the occasion of his marriage to the Queen in 1947.

The king offered her own touch to this day. Prior to the funeral, Buckingham Palace released a photo of the Queen and Philip, smiling and relaxing on the blankets in the Scottish Highlands in 2003. The palace said the casual, unpainted photo was a favorite of the queen.

A wreath on top of the coffin are flowers chosen by the queen, including white lilies, small white roses, white freesia, white wax flower, white sweets and jasmine. A note from the monarch was attached, but its contents were not disclosed.

The funeral reflects Philip’s military ties, both as the ceremonial commander of many units and as a veteran of the Royal Navy who served with distinction during World War II. More than 700 military personnel took part in the commemoration, including army groups, Royal Marine buglers and a guard of honor from across the army.

Lt. Gen. Roland Walker, regimental lieutenant colonel of the Grenadier Guards, said his unit was honored to participate because of the close relationship with the prince. Philip served for 42 years as regimental colonel of the guards, his honorary leader.

“It’s a privilege,” he told the BBC. “Because I understand he planned it, so we’re here because he wanted us to be here, and that, according to the junior guards, is a known fact.”

William and Harry were part of the nine-member royal contingent, although their cousin, Peter Phillips, walked between them. There was no apparent tension between the brothers, whose relationship had been strained since Harry’s decision to end his royal service and move to California. After the service, they walk back to the castle together and seem to have a friendly chat.

Their appearance at the service moved the memories of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 when William and Harry, then 15 and 12, walked behind their mother’s coffin, accompanied by Philip.

While Philip’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault, Royal Marine buglers sounded ‘Action Stations’, an alarm alerting sailors to prepare for battle – which was put into service at Philip’s request. He will rest there until at least until the death of the Queen, along with the remains of 24 other royals, including King George III, whose reign included the years of the American Revolution. The Queen and Philip are expected to be buried together in the Royal Burial Ground on the Frogmore Estate near Windsor Castle.

Over the decades, Philip has been a source of British life, known for his founding of the Duke of Edinburgh’s awards program that encouraged young people to challenge themselves and in a blunt way that sometimes included outright offensive remarks. He lived in his wife’s shadow, but his death sparked a reflection on his role and new appreciation from many in Britain.

“To be honest, I did not realize how big his life was and what he did for all of us,” Viv Davies said. ‘He was a wonderful man, was he not for the queen and the children? Just noteworthy – and I do not think we will see it again. ”

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Jill Lawless reports from London.

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Follow AP’s full coverage of Prince Philip’s death at https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip

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