Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Prince Philip's scaled-back funeral

The Duke of Edinburgh's "unwavering loyalty" to the Queen, service to the nation and "courage", celebrated at his funeral.

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Prince Philip's associatio­n with the Royal Navy and love of the sea were a focus of the Windsor Castle ceremony. But no sermon was delivered, in line with his wishes.

More than 730 members of the armed forces took part in the event, but there was a limit of 30 mourners at St George's Chapel, under Covid rules. The ceremonial royal funeral was broadcast on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 12:30 BST.

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99.

His coffin was placed on a modified Land Rover that the duke himself helped to design, and carried in a procession the short distance to St George's Chapel. The funeral service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury pronouncin­g the blessing. The Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Prince Philip's "kindness, humour and humanity" and the "many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us".

"We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonweal­th, by his courage, fortitude and faith."

Buckingham Palace said the funeral plans had been modified to take into account public health guidelines. The public were asked not to gather at any of the royal residences.

The congregati­on wore masks and socially distanced in line with Covid lockdown rules, with the Queen seated alone.

The ceremonial aspects of the day and the service remained in line with Prince Philip's wishes and reflect his military affiliatio­ns and personal elements of his life.

The music included the 1860 hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save, by William Whiting, which is associated with seafarers and the maritime armed services.

The 30 guests at the funeral wore morning coats with medals, or day dress, but not military uniform.

The Queen and duke's four children - the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex and - as well as their eight grandchild­ren - were in attendance, but none of their young great-grandchild­ren.

Spouses of the children and grandchild­ren joined the congregati­on, including two who have married into the family in recent years - Jack Brooksbank and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, husbands of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. But the Duke of Sussex's wife, the Duchess of Sussex, is heavily pregnant and was advised by her doctors not to fly in from the US.

The other mourners included the children of the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and three of Prince Philip's German relatives - Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden; Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Royal biographer Robert Hardman told BBC Radio 4' s Today programme coronaviru­s restrictio­ns meant the funeral was "reduced but I don't think it is in any way diminished". Mr Hardman said the limit on the number in attendance made the funeral "even more personal, even more dramatic".

On Saturday, representa­tives from military units with a special relationsh­ip to the duke were positioned in the castle's Quadrangle, with music provided by the Band of Royal Marines Commando Training Centre, the Band of the Scots Guards and the Combined Bands of the Royal Air Force.

First Sea Lord Adm Tony Radakin told the Today programme the Royal Air Force, the British Army and the Royal Navy would all reflect the affection, the dignity and respect held by, and for, Prince Philip.

He praised the duke's "very distinguis­hed Naval career" and added: "His degree of accomplish­ment in everything that he put his mind to was remarkable. You see that with his military connection­s, but I think you also see that in all his other facets of life."

The funeral procession from the castle to the chapel was headed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the Major General's party, and military service chiefs.

Nine members of the Royal Family walked behind the coffin, with Princess Anne and Prince Charles in the front row, followed by Prince Edward and Prince Andrew. In the third row, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry were on either side of their cousin Peter Philips. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon were in the next row, trailed by members of the duke's household staff. The Queen travelled with a lady-inwaiting in the state Bentley at the end of the procession.

When the procession arrived at St George's Chapel, a Royal Marines bearer party carried the coffin into the service. Buglers of the Royal Marines sounded Action Stations - a signal that all hands should be ready for battle - as the coffin was lowered into the royal vault at the end of the service.

A reduced choir of four singers featured but the congregati­on following Covid restrictio­ns and did not sing.

A ceremonial gun fire at nine locations across the UK, and in Gibraltar, marked the start and end of the national minute's silence. Heathrow Airport said no planes landed or took off for six minutes to coincide with the silence.

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 ??  ?? None of the Prince's 10 young great-grandchild­ren were at the funeral
None of the Prince's 10 young great-grandchild­ren were at the funeral

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