On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth bid farewell to Prince Philip at a funeral that honored his seven decades of service and allowed grandsons William and Harry to speak in public for the first time since racism allegations rocked the family.
Elizabeth remained apart, head bent, while her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel in a service attended by senior royals, including heir Prince Charles, clad in black and wearing a white trimmed black face mask.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Prince Harry walked and spoke with his brother William and wife Kate, the first time they have spoken in public since Harry and his wife Meghan gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey last month.
This crisis occurred when Philip was in the hospital. Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, died on April 9 at the age of 99.
“We have been motivated by his unwavering devotion to our Queen, service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, bravery, fortitude, and faith,” said Dean of Windsor David Conner.
Philip, who married Elizabeth in 1947, assisted the young king in adapting the kingdom to the transforming circumstances of the post-World War II period when the fall of an empire and the collapse in deference tested the world’s most influential royal family.
In 1997, the queen referred to Philip as her “weight and remain” after their decades-long union. She has reigned for 69 years and is now 94 years old.
As a minute gun fired eight times, her husband’s coffin was carried to the chapel on a bespoke Land Rover Defender TD 130 in military green that Philip himself helped build.
Philip’s children and grandchildren trailed behind on foot, recalling Diana’s funeral in 1997, when William and Harry, then 15 and 12, stepped behind their mother’s coffin.
His naval cap and sword were placed on top of the coffin, which was draped in the Duke of Edinburgh’s personal standard, which featured the Danish coat of arms, the Greek cross, Edinburgh Castle, and the Mountbatten family stripes.
The coffin was also decorated with a wreath of white flowers, lilies, and jasmine from the queen.
Because of ongoing coronavirus prohibitions in the United Kingdom, there were only 30 mourners inside the church. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, like millions of Britons, observed a minute of silence as the service began at 3 p.m. (1400 GMT).
