Those who attended the Duke of Edinburgh 's memorial service this morning were discussing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's absence with the late royal's former protection officer describing their excuse for not attending as "nonsense".
Richard Griffin, who was responsible for the safety of both the Queen and Prince Philip for 14 years, attended today's event but was disappointed not to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in attendance to pay their respects.
According to The Mirror, Harry has said he cannot return to the UK due to safety concerns, which have become the subject of his latest legal battle, this time against the Home Office.
Speaking to Sky News, Richard said: "William had a great training from [Prince Philip] and is going to learn all his examples for him.
"Fingers crossed, I just hope Harry gets some of these things into his mind."
Asked about his decision not to attend, he said: "That was a big disappointment for everybody."
He also said that members of the 1,800-strong congregation were discussing Harry's absence before the service began.
He said: "Certainly around where I was they thought he should have been here.
"All this nonsense about he couldn't get protection, as far as I'm concerned that was a pathetic excuse, he should have been here to honour his grandfather.
"At the end of the day, if he was that worried about security he could have stuck with his brother and father who have got wonderful security. He would have been more than safe."
Richard worked for the royal family for over a decade and said today's service captured the Duke perfectly.
Speaking about today's event, he said: "To see the Queen come in and sit with her family, that was wonderful."
"It was very emotional. I worked with Prince Philip for 14 years and travelled the world with him, I did a lot of things with him and deeply missed him when he died.
"Prince Philip had a big footprint on the service, you could see it right the way through."
"It was fantastic to be able to come today and pay our respects. It was a wonderful, wonderful service.
"He was the most caring man you could possibly meet."
He also shared a story about when his son was diagnosed with cancer and Philip called the hospital to check on him. He also wrote to his wife to check on her and on another occasion arranged transport so Mr Griffin's daughter could make it home Christmas.
Today's event paid tribute to Prince Philip's charity work and decades of service to the Queen and the royal family.
The Dean of Westminster delivered a moving speech about the Duke. He said: "He would hate to think that I should paint a picture of him as a ‘plaster saint’; someone without the usual human foibles and failings.
"He was far too self-aware ever to be taken in by flattery. Of course, it must be said that his life bore the marks of sacrifice and service.
"Certainly, he could show great sympathy and kindness.
"There is no doubt that he had a delightfully engaging, and often self-deprecating, sense of humour. It is quite clear that his mind held together both speculation and common sense. Moreover, nobody would ever doubt his loyalty and deep devotion to our Queen and to their family.
"Yet, there were times when he could be abrupt; maybe, in robust conversation, forgetting just how intimidating he could be.
"A kind of natural reserve sometimes made him seem a little distant. He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.
"On the other hand, we should not forget that he himself was sometimes wounded by being unfairly criticised or misunderstood.
"Like the rest of us, he was part of flawed humanity. Unlike most of us however, he was one of those rare people who remained true to, and guided by, what you might call ‘an inner spiritual compass’; a sense of being called to play a part in the making of a God-intended world.
"As we give thanks for the life of a remarkable man, perhaps out greatest tribute to him, most especially in these far too troubled times, will be for us to accept the challenge, implicit in his life, to rekindle in our hearts something of that call, and to pray (as I think he did) for the inspiration and the guidance to play our part, however small, in working for a kinder future."
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