- POPSUGAR Australia
- Celebrity
- Buckingham Palace Confirms Prince Harry Will Attend Prince Philip’s Funeral
Buckingham Palace Confirms Prince Harry Will Attend Prince Philip’s Funeral
by
Anita Anabel
Funeral preparations are underway following the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
On Sunday, April 11, Buckingham Palace announced that the funeral will be held next Saturday, April 17, at 3 pm (midnight April 18 AEST) at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, a maximum of 30 people will be allowed to attend the funeral, including the Prince’s grandson Prince Harry, who will fly in from the US where he currently resides with his wife Meghan Markle and their son, Archie.
While Harry will be in attendance, Markle, who is heavily pregnant with her second child, will stay in the USA under medical advice.
“Although the ceremonial arrangements are reduced, the occasion will still celebrate and recognise the duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the UK and the Commonwealth,” a palace spokesman said.
The proceedings will be televised (with more details to come on how you can watch in Australia) but held away from public view and with no access for anyone but the family.
The ceremony will be conducted strictly in line with the British government’s COVID-19 guidelines with only 30 people able to attend funerals and while it is usually customary for the Prime Minister to be in attendance, due to the restrictions, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be at the funeral.
“The prime minister has throughout wanted to act in accordance with what is best for the Royal household, and so to allow for as many family members as possible will not be attending the funeral on Saturday,” a statement from Downing Street said.
The royal family have also requested that the public do not gather near Windsor Castle and to pay their respects from home.
Overnight, Philip’s first son, Prince Charles, spoke to the public for the first time since his father’s death, with a video posted to Instagram.
“My father, the last 70 years has given the most remarkable devoted service to the Queen, to my family and to the country and also to the whole of the Commonwealth,” he said.
“My family and I miss my father enormously.
“He was a much-loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else we are so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world who share our loss and our sorrow.
“My dear papa was a very special person, who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and what touching things have been said about him.”
The Duke’s coffin is currently resting inside the Queen’s small private chapel at Windsor Castle, draped in a flag and flowers.
Prince Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle on Friday, April 9, 2021. He was 99.