Senior royals must wear civilian clothes during Prince Philip’s funeral, and potential tensions deflate over who may wear military uniforms.
The decision of Queen Elizabeth II means that Prince Harry will not be the only member of the royal family who is not in uniform during Saturday’s funeral for his grandfather, who passed away last week at the age of 99.
Members of the royal family often wear uniforms for public events based on their honorary roles in the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. But the Duke of Sussex lost his honorary military titles when he decided last year to relinquish royal duties from the front line.
Consequently, protocol indicates that the 36-year-old, a veteran of the army who served two duties in Afghanistan, may only wear a suit with medals at royal functions, reports the British Press Association.
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The decision also bypassed another possible controversy after reports that Prince Andrew had considered wearing an admiral uniform during his father’s funeral. The Duke of York retains his military titles despite being forced to relinquish royal duties following a disastrous interview with the BBC over his acquaintance with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The British Prince William, right, and Prince Harry are attending the Memorial Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Senior royals must wear civilian clothes during Prince Philip’s funeral, and potential tensions deflate over who may wear military uniforms. The decision of Queen Elizabeth II means that Prince Harry will not be the only member of the royal family who was not in uniform during the funeral on Saturday 17 April 2021 for his grandfather, who passed away last week at the age of 99.
(AP Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth, file)
The funeral is expected to take place in Windsor Castle on Saturday, with attendance limited to 30 due to coronavirus restrictions.
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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 plan to take part in the funeral procession. Philip’s coffin will be on a specially adapted Land Rover to the St. George Chapel, which he designed himself.
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Military personnel trained for the event on Wednesday at the Army Training Center Pirbright, near London. One of the four Royal Marine buglers who will play ‘The Last Post’ at the service said it was an ‘honor and privilege’ to play the role.
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“It’s incredibly important. We feel nervous,” said sergeant. Bugler Jamie Ritchie. “We feel the pressure, but we channel it and we use it and we’re going to deliver an excellent performance.”