LONDON (AP) – Prince William and Prince Harry will not walk side by side on Saturday if they follow their coffin’s coffin into the church ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral, reducing the chance of awkward moments between the brothers struggling with tension. relations since Harry’s decision to relinquish royal duties last year.
Buckingham Palace on Thursday unveiled the broad outlines of the funeral program for Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, who died on April 9 at 99. The palace revealed that William and Harry’s cousin, Peter Phillips, would walk among the princes as they took the coffin to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, west of London.
Prince Charles, the heir to the throne and the father of the princes, will lead the procession of 15 members with his sister, Princess Anne.
The brothers were closely watched as Saturday’s funeral would almost certainly remind the couple of their shared grief at another royal funeral more than two decades ago. As young boys, they both walked behind the coffin of their mother, Princess Diana, in London in 1997 during a ceremony held around the world.
Palace officials declined to comment when asked if the positioning of William and Harry was an attempt to reduce family tensions, which escalated after Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey gave what suggested that an unnamed member of the royal family made a racist remark to Harry before the birth of their child Archie.
Meghan, who is pregnant and living with Harry in California, does not come to the funeral on the advice of her doctor.
“We will not be drawn into the perceptions of drama or anything like that,” a palace spokesman said as he spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with the policy. “This is a funeral and the arrangements have been agreed upon and it represents the wishes of Her Majesty.”
In an effort to preserve family unity, the palace said senior royals would wear civilian clothes to the funeral. The decision, signed by the Queen, means that Harry will not be the only member of the royal family who is not in uniform during the funeral.
Members of the royal family often wear uniforms for public events due to their honorary roles with the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, but Harry lost his honorary titles when he decided last year to put the royal duties at the forefront abandon. Consequently, protocol indicates that Harry, a veteran of the army who served two duties in Afghanistan, would only wear a suit with medals during royal functions.
The decision also bypassed another possible controversy after reports that Prince Andrew, the queen’s second eldest son, had considered wearing an admiral’s uniform during his father’s funeral. Andrew retains his military titles although he has been forced to relinquish royal duties following a disastrous interview with the BBC over his acquaintance with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Attendance at the funeral will be limited to 30 people due to coronavirus restrictions in England. The list includes a number of relatives of Philip from Germany, as well as immediate members of the royal family. The children in the family will not attend.
Guests will wear masks in the chapel and take social distance. The queen, always the first to set an example, will also wear a mask.
In other details announced about the funeral, Royal Marine buglers will play ‘Action Stations’, an alarm that warns sailors to prepare for battle.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Royal Navy for 12 years and maintained close ties with the military throughout his life. Military personnel will play a major role in honoring him on Saturday despite the attendance limit.
Members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force and the British Army will take part in the funeral procession. Philip’s coffin is transported to the St. Louis on a specially adapted Land Rover he designed himself. George Chapel worn.
On Thursday, Charles and his wife Camilla visited the Marlborough House in central London to see a sea of flower arrangements for Philip moved from the gates of Buckingham Palace.
The couple spent some time looking at the cards and notes with the flowers. The items paid tribute include a model of a Land Rover similar to the one carried on Philip’s coffin on Saturday, with the words ‘The Duke RIP’ on the roof.
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For AP’s full coverage of Prince Philip’s death, go to https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip