On Saturday 17th April 2021, the Queen, royal family, nation, and the world remembered and celebrated the life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. I think the procession and service were both a great public affair, but also a private family occasion. For me, the service was quiet, tranquil. It seemed that the procession paid tribute to the public and military figure, but the service focused on the man at the centre of his family.
His funeral took place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The chapel is a royal chapel, part of Windsor Castle. It held special significance for the late Duke of Edinburgh, as many services and occasions have been marked there during his lifetime. The chapel is what is known as a royal peculiar; it is not part of a parish, but is under the jurisdiction of the Dean of Windsor. Other royals from throughout history have their final resting place in the chapel, including the Queen’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret. They are all interred in the same vault. It is in this vault that the Duke’s body has been laid to rest, and is also the destined final resting place of the Queen.
The funeral was a royal ceremonial funeral, and adapted to meet covid-19 restrictions. Nonetheless it was a fitting tribute. In fact, the Duke would probably have preferred it, as those who knew him well say he did not like fuss and bother.
Each element of the procession and service was chosen and designed by the Duke of Edinburgh himself, before he died. His last wishes were carried out. Before the service began, a military procession took place, featuring members of the Army, Navy, and RAF. The Duke saw active service himself, and held many honorary military titles during his life. He was Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army, and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, among other military roles. The armed forces, who marked his death the week before with a gun salute, played their part with pride and precision.
After a series of music played by the military bands, including Nimrod and Jerusalem, as they stood on the lawn in the quadrangle Windsor Castle. Members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Highlanders, and 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Air Force lined the procession route. The Duke’s own carriage that was used for his hobby of carriage driving, together with the two fell ponies that pulled it, was brought into the quadrangle of the castle, with his hat and riding crop in the carriage, and the red container that held sugar lumps that the Duke would treat his ponies with. It stood there as a symbol of the Duke’s love of the pastime of carriage driving, and as a symbol of his gifting in design and engineering, because he designed the carriage himself. But it was deeply intimate and personal, his soft side shown by the personal items (especially the sugar lumps!)
Members of the royal family and the Duke’s family who were not taking part in the procession departed the castle in vehicles, and travelled to the church. These were:
The Duke’s daughters-in-law:
The Duchess of Cornwall
The Countess of Wessex
The Duke’s grandchildren:
Viscount Severn
Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Princess Beatrice, and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Eugenie, and husband Jack Brooksbank
Zara Tindall, and husband Mike Tindall
The Duke’s cousins-in-law:
The Duke of Gloucester
The Duke of Kent
Princess Alexandra
The Duke’s Niece:
Lady Sarah Chatto, and husband Daniel Chatto
The Duke’s cousins:
Countess Mountbatten of Burma
The Landgrave of Hesse
The Duke’s great-nephews:
The Hereditary Prince of Baden
The Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
One notable absence was the Duchess of Sussex, who remained in the USA on the advice of doctors, because she is heavily pregnant. Her husband Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, flew to the UK for the funeral.
A specially designed landrover drove into the quadrangle. The landrover had been designed by the Duke to carry his own coffin. The coffin was borne by members of the Royal Marines, and was draped in a flag depicting the Duke’s own Coat of Arms, with flowers, white lilies and ivy, chosen by the Queen, placed on top, along with the Duke’s naval hat and sword. The coffin emerged from the castle and was placed onto the landrover. The procession to the chapel began. Behind the coffin walked members of the royal family.
The Duke’s children:
The Prince of Wales
The Princess Royal
The Duke of York
The Earl of Wessex
Three of the Duke’s grandchildren:
The Duke of Cambridge
Peter Philips
The Duke of Sussex
The Duke’s son-in-law:
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence
The Duke’s nephew:
The Earl of Snowden
Behind the royal family members walked members of the Duke’s household staff. Behind them, the Queen travelled in the state bentley. Perhaps for the first time ever, she was behind her husband, who in life had always walked behind the Queen, who takes precedence.
During the procession minute guns were fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn of Windsor Castle, and the Curfew Tower bell was tolled. As the coffin arrived at the chapel, the National Anthem was played. The bearer party took the coffin up the steps of the chapel part of the way, then stopped as a minute’s silence was held at 3pm. They then proceeded up to the chapel door and were met by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The royal family followed behind, and joined the rest of the family who were already in the chapel.
The Service featured music and bible readings chosen by the Duke. The songs were sung by a choir of 4, whilst the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury read the readings, and led prayers. Each piece of music held significance for the Duke, including the naval hymn, “Eternal Father, strong to save,” and Psalm 104, which was put to music by William Lovelady at the Duke’s request, for the Duke’s 75th birthday. The bible readings included one about nature, reflecting the Duke’s love of nature and work in conservation. The other readings focused on the promise of eternal life and resurrection through Jesus. Music was also played by Buglers of the Royal Marines, and the Pipe Major of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Throughout the service, members of the royal family, who sat socially distanced and wore face masks to comply with covid-19 restrictions, looked solemn as they reflected on the Duke’s life.
The Duke’s coffin was taken to the royal vault to be interred. After a blessing by the Archbishop, the royal family made their way out of the chapel. The Queen left in the state bentley, but, in a move led by the Prince of Wales, other members of the family walked up the hill to the castle. This informal move was a reminder that this was a family funeral. The bright and warm sunshine helped create a relaxed atmosphere, as the family chatted together as they walked. One couldn’t help but focus on the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge, and the Duchess of Cambridge, as they chatted together, following times of reported discord between them.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral was both a great occasion, and a small private affair. The Queen was in my thoughts as she cast a solo figure, a widow. She will carry on, as she always does, drawing strength from her faith, and family, and household. Despite covid restrictions, the procession and funeral service were conducted according to the Duke’s wishes. There was no eulogy or tributes during the service, but so much has been said in the past week to render that unnecessary. Instead, the Duke’s achievements and character were on display in the insignia on the altar, and in his choices of music and readings, and the elements of the service and procession.