BROTHERS TO REUNITE FOR FUNERAL
PRINCE Harry will walk shoulder to shoulder with Prince William behind their grandfather’s coffin at Prince Philip’s funeral this Saturday, setting aside simmering tensions to honour him.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Harry would attend the funeral, making a dash from California to beat Britain’s coronavirus rules.
His wife Meghan, 39, will avoid an awkward reunion following her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, because she is too pregnant to fly.
The Duchess of Sussex, who claimed the royal family was racist in that broadcast, is expecting the couple’s second child, a girl, within months.
Meghan’s biographer, Omid Scobie, said she made “every effort to travel but unfortunately she did not receive medical clearance”.
Prince Charles was said to want to put aside differences, including Prince Harry’s claims that he had stopped taking his calls and was
“trapped” in his royal role, so they could do their duty for Prince Philip.
The princes — Charles, William and Harry — may end up recreating the haunting image they formed when they marched in step with Prince Philip behind Princess Diana’s coffin before her funeral in 1997.
Prince Charles, 72, has stepped up to a more prominent role, delivering a televised, heartfelt message to his “dear Papa” outside his home in Gloucestershire.
“As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously,” a clearly touched Prince Charles said.
Seats at the funeral have been limited to 30 mourners, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson passing up a place at St George’s Chapel to allow more of the Duke of Edinburgh’s family to attend.
The Queen will not be able to be hugged by her family — unless they were part of her support bubble — under current coronavirus rules in the UK.
Mourners will also be required to wear a face mask, even though many of the older congregation, including the Queen, have had a coronavirus vaccine.
Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2, are likely to be the only great-grandchildren at the funeral.
Prince Philip’s funeral has been scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, April 17, (midnight AET time) inside the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Prince Philip’s coffin will be taken in a specially modified Land Rover from the State Entrance of Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel for the service.
Representatives from Prince Philip’s military relationships will form a guard of honour on the lawn in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle.
Commodore Guy Holthouse, head of Australian Defence staff in London, will attend on behalf of Australia.