First Minister pays respects to Duke following funeral
NICOLA Sturgeon has paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, hailing his “longstanding ties to Scotland”.
The First Minister was among many across the country to mark a silence at 3pm as members of the royal family gathered at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle for Philip’s funeral.
A gun salute at Edinburgh Castle marked the start and the end of the silence.
After the funeral, Ms Sturgeon said: “On behalf of the people of Scotland, I once again express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and members of the royal family.
“The many tributes paid to the Duke of Edinburgh in recent days have shown the depth of his contribution to public life over more than 70 years as well as his longstanding ties to Scotland.
“Many have reflected on his distinguished wartime record, his commitment to countless charities and organisations, and his love and support for the Queen throughout their marriage.
“Today, as the Queen and the royal family mourn the death of a loved one, we take this opportunity to celebrate and honour an extraordinary life.”
Pupils at the duke’s former school paid tribute to him by laying a wreath at sea in his memory.
Gordonstoun school remembered the duke during an event at Hopeman Harbour in Moray on Saturday.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s intimate, Covid-secure funeral took place yesterday afternoon at St George’s Chapel.
The scene was set for the Duke of Edinburgh’s nearest and dearest to gather together – in a socially distanced manner and wearing face masks – for what was a unique royal occasion.
As well as the traditional dressing of floral arrangements and family wreaths, bottles of hand sanitiser – a familiar mark of the coronavirus pandemic – sat next to a door in the vast nave area of the church.
The nave, which was packed with family and friends at three royal weddings in recent years, was an empty space filled only with the sunlight streaming in through the magnificent stained glass windows, four singers, a conductor, Royal Marine buglers and state trumpeters.
There were no rows of pews packed with mourners. Instead the sparse floor lay bare, allowing for the handful of singers and musicians to carry out their roles in a socially distanced manner.
During the national minute’s silence before the service began, only the soft sound of birdsong could be heard in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The flowers chosen for the service by the Queen were low-key, reflective of the duke’s no-fuss attitude.
Regalia, selected by the duke, sat in pride of place on the altar, in the funeral service he had played a major role in planning.
The medals and decorations conferred on him by the UK and Commonwealth countries – together with his Royal Air Force wings and Field Marshal’s baton– were positioned on nine cushions.
Philip also included insignia from Denmark and Greece – the Order of the Elephant and Order of the Redeemer respectively – in a nod to his birth heritage as Prince of Greece and Denmark.
The limited congregation of 30 had to abide by Covid-19 rules, with the Queen sitting alone in the quire of the Gothic chapel for the 50-minute service.
The Prince of Wales, the Queen’s eldest son and heir to the throne, sat opposite the monarch alongside his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Closest to the Queen and to her left was the Duke of York, and positioned down from him were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
Seated on the same side as Charles and Camilla were the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seated directly opposite the Duke of Sussex, who travelled to the UK without his pregnant wife, Meghan. Philip’s coffin proceeded through the nave to the quire, and passed over the vaults of Henry VIII and Charles I.