Members of the royal family have said an emotional farewell to the Duke of Edinburgh almost a year after his death. Prince Philip died in April last year, in the middle of the covid pandemic.
Coronavirus restrictions meant his funeral was limited to 30 guests. It even saw the Queen sitting alone as she followed the same rules as the rest of the country.
On Tuesday however it was a different picture when a Service of Thanksgiving was held at Westminster Abbey to celebrate a "long life lived fully". A total of 1,800 people gathered at the London venue for the occasion.
The Queen rallied to join close family, friends, foreign royals and hundreds of charity workers in remembrance of her husband at the memorial service. And it was an emotional occasion with tears from several members of his family.
Prince Charles could be seen wiping away a tear at one point in the service while Princess Beatrice was visibly upset, breaking down during the first hymn. The Duke's grandaughter could be seen covering her face with an order of service before reaching for a tissue, reports The Mirror.
One key mourner was the Duke of York making his first royal appearance since settling his civil sex case with Virginia Giuffre and being stripped of his titles. Andrew escorted his mother into Westminster Abbey as she held onto his elbow as she moved slowly to her with the aid of a walking stick.
They entered via Poets Corner – a shorter route for the Queen’s comfort – in a small procession. The monarch’s state limousine had arrived at Poets’ Yard entrance with Andrew sat beside her after they travelled from Windsor together.
Inside the abbey, they walked at a slow but steady pace, both looking ahead. At the end of the aisle they separated – with Andrew giving a last glance to his mother as she turned right.
As the service began, the Prince of Wales leaned over to the Queen and spoke to her briefly. The Queen delved into her black Launer handbag for her glasses.
Andrew, who stepped down from public life over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, had a front row seat, sitting next to his brother the Earl of Wessex and across the aisle from his other siblings. Among those attending were Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte were also present in honour of their great-grandfather. This was the first time they had attended a major public church service.
The Queen, who is 95, was determined to make the appearance at the deeply personal and significant occasion on Tuesday in honour of her “strength and stay” Philip – with her attendance only confirmed the same morning. It was her first major official engagement outside one of her homes for nearly six months following a bout of ill health, including covid.
The Queen listened as the Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Philip’s intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family. The Right Reverend David Conner described the duke as a “remarkable man” who was committed to “a host of down-to-earth enterprises”.
He pointed out that the duke could be “abrupt”, and suggested that at times he could forget “just how intimidating he could be”. Princess Beatrice was seen to give a small chuckle as the Dean remarked: “He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.”
The monarch, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal were all dressed in dark green – seen as a special tribute to Philip, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green. Others throughout the congregation also wore the shade, including Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, who delivered a special tribute about the effect Philip’s youth scheme had on her life.
The monarch was heavily involved in arrangements for the service which featured elements Philip planned for his own funeral which were forbidden due to Covid-19 restrictions. A rousing rendition of the hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer – also known as Bread Of Heaven – was one of his particular requests, but congregational singing was banned at the time of his death.
Eleven months on, those who knew and loved Philip sang the anthem with gusto as the song echoed around the vast church. Other missing gestures from Philip’s pre-pandemic plans saw Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award holders and members of the youth UK Cadet Force associations line the steps of the abbey, and prayers being said by the clergy from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral.
Special arrangements were put in place for the Queen’s comfort, with the service limited to 40 minutes and the monarch sitting in one of the Canada chairs but with an additional cushion. The difficulty for the Queen, who has confessed to not being able to move, was understood to be whether the monarch would be able to walk to her seat.
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