The Funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

[Isabella E.]

Beautiful. I have to say as an uninterested spectator that this type of funeral suited the Prince more than the full blown spectacle that was his uncles, the Earl Mountbatten of Burma. I think that Phillip deserved more, but I think this was more in keeping with his style. Even though it occurred because of the pandemic, I think it was fitting in keeping with the man. I was in tears watching the simple ceremony, the gorgeous music, the brevity of the services, everything. I am glad that it was simple and brief for the Queen's sake. She is nearing 95, and this has to be so hard for her.

 

[Kellydofc]

This is been such a sad day. Logically you know Prince Philip and the Queen can't live forever but on an emotional level, you're just never quite prepared are you? They've been such constants for so long. I'm glad Prince Philip got the funeral he wanted and I hope he knows how much he'll be missed not just by his family but by so many people all around the world.

 

[Betsypaige]

I can't help but think the Queen looks like she's aged a decade in the last week. And both Charles and William look heartbroken. Philip clearly meant so much to that entire family. The loss of him has obviously been devastating.

Indeed....I can barely look at Charles, and seeing the Queen wipe a tear from her face was unbearable. They all need to commiserate with each other; only they really know just how important Philip was to all of them.

 

[Erin9]

I can't help but think the Queen looks like she's aged a decade in the last week. And both Charles and William look heartbroken. Philip clearly meant so much to that entire family. The loss of him has obviously been devastating.

Everyone looked heartbroken. You could see what a huge loss this is.

Just seeing Anne’s eyes, you could see how painful this was for her.

I love that they chose to walk back to the castle. I imagine that was due to the weather being so nice.



I also noticed Sophie link arms with Edward on the walk back. Nice little touch. Nice to see the family chatting and being a normal family. It's a shame they couldn't have a proper family gathering for this due to the current pandemic but nice to see them all walking back.

That was nice to see everyone walk back together. I can see why everyone wanted to walk rather than drive; it gave them a chance to be together.

 

[Nico]

It was perfect : regal, solemn but at the same time intimate and without fuss.
It was so Philip, and, as he would, say "just go with it ...".

 

[Osipi]

Although I watched the entire thing without sound (did have closed captioning that wasn't stellar), I think the two things that hit me the most were seeing the carriage pulled by the Fell ponies and the Duke's driving apparel on the seat and then, the Scottish piper as he walked away from the camera. Very touching and very emotional.

The family all came together as much as they could to celebrate the life of the Duke of Edinburgh and mourn their loss. It was heartening to see the family all walk together back to the castle after the service.

A very fittingly simple farewell to a man that gave so much to his wife, his family and his nation. The procession to the chapel was noted as being the first and the last time that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took precedence over everyone else there. No one though can say that, in life, Philip was a follower. He was very much a leader by his words and his actions.

 

[Lori138]

Absolutely beautiful service and brought tears to my eyes. You could feel the family's sorrow and sometimes it seems that the funeral is the hardest part of losing a family member.

 

[RoyalNight]

I didn't see the three German relatives in the chapel. Did anyone else?

Me neither. I've only seen Queen, children and grandchildren (with partners).

 

[Betsypaige]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-f...ng-lady-susan-hussey-queen-loneliest-journey/

It was her loneliest journey, but she was not alone, writes Hannah Furness. In her darkest day on public duty, the Queen had her loyal lady-in-waiting by her side, Lady Susan Hussey.

Carried in the State Bentley for the short journey from the Sovereign’s Entrance of Windsor Castle to the Galilee Porch of St George’s Chapel, the Queen and Lady Susan travelled in companionable silence.

In quiet contemplation, with rugs over their knees, the two women faced the cameras and the watching world with dignified calm.

The Queen had personally asked Lady Susan to join her for the journey, as she prepared to say farewell to her husband of 73 years.

One of a close inner circle of ladies-in-waiting, Lady Susan has been by the Queen’s side since the birth of Prince Andrew, when she joined the royal household to help answer a flood of letters.

I’m so glad that HM had Lady Susan by her side when she couldn’t have her family; I can’t bear to think of her alone

 

[Erin9]

Absolutely beautiful service and brought tears to my eyes. You could feel the family's sorrow and sometimes it seems that the funeral is the hardest part of losing a family member.

The funeral is very hard. But the aftermath is too when they’re not at places and events where you’re used to seeing them. Or you can’t call anymore the way you used to.

 

[Osipi]

...

On the subject of the brothers, they seemed to smile and be able to talk together walking back from the service so I'm guessing there's a level of acceptance that things are the way they are and they're going to make the best of things when they're together for this occasion as a family in mourning.

 

[Betsypaige]

The funeral is very hard. But the aftermath is too when they’re not at places and events where you’re used to seeing them. Or you can’t call anymore the way you used to.

Yes, which is why the idea that HM can handle her engagements without any support from family - at least early on- made no sense. Philip may not have been by her side, but HM knew she could always call him or see him. Now he’s really and truly gone...

 

[Mbruno]

Yes the commonwealth Orders where also on the Altar and also his greek and danish Orders

I clearly saw the Danish order of the Elephant and what I believe to be the Greek order of the Redeemer. There were three colored sashes on the left upper corner of the screen (above the cushion with the British Order of Merit) which I was unable to identify.

His British orders of knighthood (Garter, Thistle, BE, and RVO) are clearly visible at the center with their respective collars.

The main Commonwealth orders, I think, appear briefly on another cushion to the right of the RVO and below the Danish and Greek orders. I believe I spotted the Order of Canada, the Order of Australia, the Order of Logohu (Papua New Guinea), the Canadian Order of Military Merit, and, very briefly, the Order of New Zealand (above the CMM).


EDIT: My wild guesses for the three aformentioned colored sashes I could not identify (maybe totally off) are the Order of Temaseki (Singapore), the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, and the Family Order of Laila Utama (Brunei). If so, I am surprised they were among Philip's selection for his funeral !

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I must have missed that. Perhaps I was taken aback by the Royal Family leaving and that seemed to be that.

As for how it works in the Dutch royal family - that is indeed what I meant with what I'm used to. I keep going back to how it was done when Prince Claus was interred into the Royal Vault.

In the Netherlands the pallbearers indeed go down the stairs to bring the coffin into the portal of the mausoleum.
But in essence the family's farewell inside the mausoleum is also invisible, like today in Windsor.

I didn't see the three German relatives in the chapel. Did anyone else?

Yes, they were already in the chapel when the Queen took her seat. They were seated in the upper benches, closest to the entrance of the choir from the nave.

What do they all stand for?

On that picture can see the standard of the Earl of Wessex and Forfar, the standard of the Queen of Denmark, the standard of the King of Sweden and the standard of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.

I saw a Spanish and a Dutch royal standard at one side of the chapel (Juan Carlos and Beatrix) and I saw another Spanish and Dutch royal standard on the other side: Felipe and Willem-Alexander. The only foreign monarchies with double standards in the chapel.

No standards from Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Monaco as there are no current Knights from these countries.

 

[Hallo girl]

Me neither. I've only seen Queen, children and grandchildren (with partners).

I cannot say I saw them specifically inside but there were individuals sitting along the back row on both sides , but I think I saw them walking back to the castle with the Countess of Burma.

 

[Sandy345]

It was nice to see Charles and Anne walking in the procession side by side.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

The funeral is very hard. But the aftermath is too when they’re not at places and events where you’re used to seeing them. Or you can’t call anymore the way you used to.

I agree. She's a very strong lady but the next few months will be very difficult and the restrictions must make it a lot harder. The adjustment will take a long time.

 

[norwegianne]

I didn't see the three German relatives in the chapel. Did anyone else?

At 35:42 here, when his coffin is being carried into the chapel, there are three men - one two in the back, and one in the front on the same level of pew as the Duchess of Cambridge. They don't look like the Dukes of Kent or Gloucester, so I suppose they're the German relatives?

 

[Somebody]

I must have missed that. Perhaps I was taken aback by the Royal Family leaving and that seemed to be that.

As for how it works in the Dutch royal family - that is indeed what I meant with what I'm used to. I keep going back to how it was done when Prince Claus was interred into the Royal Vault.

The coffin was lowered from the quire to the royal vault below it; it didn't have to be moved by pallbearers to a different location.

It started to be lowered when the Garter Principal King of Arms made his declaration: "Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustruous and moste Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merionet and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, (...) husband of her most excellent Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second (...)." and continued when the Pipe Major started to play; after the bagpipe player had turned around they cut the cameras back one more time to the quire (we saw the bagpipe player walk by the left entrance and the coffin and part of the family). At that point the coffin had been lowered to about floor height. Afterwards the family was left in peace for several minutes (with a lament, the last post, reveille and action stations) and the coffin will have kept moving down until it was out of sight.

After the service while leaving you saw several members of the family (among them Harry and Beatrice) look one more time (in)to the 'gap' in which the coffin had 'disappeared'.

 

[Osipi]

I agree. She's a very strong lady but the next few months will be very difficult and the restrictions must make it a lot harder. The adjustment will take a long time.

In the next month or so, the Queen will be kept busy though as I imagine she'll jump right back into what she needs to do with Philip whispering in her ear "Just get on with it". Then there's whatever comes up this year for Trooping the Color/Garter Day and Ascot Week. Philip's absence I think will really hit home when the Queen goes to Balmoral for her summer hiatus.

I imagine all of the Queen's family will definitely make plans to go and spend some time with her at Balmoral this year. Hopefully restrictions in the UK will be more relaxed by then.

 

[Somebody]

Just out of interest - was Princess Alexandra there? I didn't see her in any of the coverage.

I am pretty sure she was sitting next to her brother. A few times we could see The Duke of Gloucester (third row in the second section on the side of the queen; close to the Duke of Sussex) and next to him the Duke of Kent. Princess Alexandra was the next one in that row but only partially visible when the procession entered the quire. Next to her was the Countess Mountbatten of Burma (again, only partially visible for a short moment).

At 35:42 here, when his coffin is being carried into the chapel, there are three men - one two in the back, and one in the front on the same level of pew as the Duchess of Cambridge. They don't look like the Dukes of Kent or Gloucester, so I suppose they're the German relatives?

You are partly right. The Landgrave of Hesse was seated at the front row on the left side (the Queen's side); while the Fürst if Hohenlohe-Langenburg was seated on the front row on the other side (The Prince of Wales's side); with the Hereditary prince of Baden 2 rows behind him. On that same row were seated: Peter (next to Mike and Zara in the previous section - who on their turn were next to Jack/Eugenie and Edo/Beatrice), the Earl of Snowdon, and Lady Sarah and Daniel Chatto (the third 'man' you identified is Daniel Chatto; you can see Sarah's hands next to his, because of her black attire including a hat she is hardly visible otherwise).


To summarize; the seating in the quire was as follows:

Queen's side:
First section - second row: HM The Queen, the Duke of York, the vice-admiral sir Timothy Laurence & the Princess Royal, the Duke of Sussex
Second section - third row: The Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Countess Mountbatten of Burma
Second section - end of first row: The Landgrave of Hesse

Prince of Wales's side:
First section - first row: The Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor & The Countess of Wessex (& Forfar) & Viscount Severn & The Earl of Wessex (& Forfar), the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge
First section - third row: Princess Beatrice & Edo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie & Jack Brooksbank, Zara & Mike Tindall
Second section - third row: Peter Phillips, The Earl of Snowdon, Lady Sarah & Daniel Chatto, The Hereditary Prince of Baden
Second section - end of first row: The Fürst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

 

[rmay286]

At 35:42 here, when his coffin is being carried into the chapel, there are three men - one two in the back, and one in the front on the same level of pew as the Duchess of Cambridge. They don't look like the Dukes of Kent or Gloucester, so I suppose they're the German relatives?

Thanks--you're right, I believe those are the relatives

 

[Estel]

The coffin was lowered from the quire to the royal vault below it; it didn't have to be moved by pallbearers to a different location.

It started to be lowered when the Garter Principal King of Arms made his declaration: "Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustruous and moste Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merionet and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, (...) husband of her most excellent Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second (...)." and continued when the Pipe Major started to play; after the bagpipe player had turned around they cut the cameras back one more time to the quire (we saw the bagpipe player walk by the left entrance and the coffin and part of the family). At that point the coffin had been lowered to about floor height. Afterwards the family was left in peace for several minutes (with a lament, the last post, reveille and action stations) and the coffin will have kept moving down until it was out of sight.

After the service while leaving you saw several members of the family (among them Harry and Beatrice) look one more time (in)to the 'gap' in which the coffin had 'disappeared'.

Yesss! Saw it again. That's an astute observation. Btw, Sir Timothy Laurence and Prince Harry bowed before leaving the chapel. Whom did they bow to?

 

[norwegianne]

Yesss! Saw it again. That's an astute observation. Btw, Sir Timothy Laurence and Prince Harry bowed before leaving the chapel. Whom did they bow to?

I think they, along with Princess Anne, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke/Duchess of Cambridge genuflected to the altar.

 

[tihkon2]

Yesss! Saw it again. That's an astute observation. Btw, Sir Timothy Laurence and Prince Harry bowed before leaving the chapel. Whom did they bow to?

The Altar of God.

 

[Estel]

I think they, along with Princess Anne, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke/Duchess of Cambridge genuflected to the altar.

Yes, they all did. Thank you
Genuinely asking, is the Queen required to do so as well? Not here, but during other instances.

 

[Mbruno]

Yes, they all did. Thank you
Genuinely asking, is the Queen required to do so as well? Not here, but during other instances.

Catholics genuflect to the altar only when the Blessed Sacrament is kept behind it. I don't know what the Anglican custom is.

 

[Erin9]

In the next month or so, the Queen will be kept busy though as I imagine she'll jump right back into what she needs to do with Philip whispering in her ear "Just get on with it". Then there's whatever comes up this year for Trooping the Color/Garter Day and Ascot Week. Philip's absence I think will really hit home when the Queen goes to Balmoral for her summer hiatus.



I imagine all of the Queen's family will definitely make plans to go and spend some time with her at Balmoral this year. Hopefully restrictions in the UK will be more relaxed by then.

I think Summer at Balmoral will be hard on everyone- assuming everyone can indeed go this summer.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Some of the military band music prior to the start of the funeral procession at the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle.

Tributes to the late Duke at Piccadilly Circus in London today.

 

[Heavs]

Catholics genuflect to the altar only when the Blessed Sacrament is kept behind it. I don't know what the Anglican custom is.

Whenever they walk past or up to the altar usually. I don't believe it's always to do with the Blessed Sacrament since my church do it and they keep that elsewhere.

The Queen would be required to do so, just as the AoC did. I don't think they do it as much in the Evangelical side of the CofE but I'm not sure. In some places its just the clergy.