WINDSOR (UK) – Britain’s senior royals will set aside tradition and wear mourning suits instead of military uniforms for the funeral of Prince Philip, in a bid to prevent embarrassment for Princes Andrew and Harry.
Prince Philip’s funeral, a ceremonial royal funeral rather than a state funeral, will be held entirely at Windsor Castle on Saturday.
The service will have much of the planning made originally by the prince himself, but had to be made changes to due to COVID-19 restrictions. This would mean that the other 29 mourners permitted to attend will have to wear masks.Â
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said, “Members of the royal family will be wearing morning coat with medals or day dress. That’s to say members of the royal family will not be in military uniform.”
Harry, 36, the Duke of Sussex, lost all his military patronages in January after moving last year to Los Angeles with wife Meghan and son Archie.
Newspapers reported that Prince Andrew, 61, the Duke of York and the Queen and Prince Philip’s second son, wished to be part of the funeral in the uniform of admiral, awarded to mark his 60th birthday.
“All the arrangements have been signed off by her majesty,” the palace spokesman said. “So that’s all there is to say.”
The funeral ceremony will start on Saturday at 1300 GMT. The duke’s coffin will be carried out and placed on a specially-commissioned Land Rover. The procession would then head to the castle’s St George’s Chapel.
Walking behind will be senior royals, which includes heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, his eldest son William and his brother Harry, while the queen will follow behind in the State Bentley. One minute’s national silence will be observed at 1400 GMT before the 50-minute service starts.
The coffin will then be lowered into the royal vault.
Regarding whether Harry will not be standing next to William, during any of the processions, the palace spokesman said, “We’re not going to be drawn into those perceptions of drama, or anything like that. This is a funeral. The arrangements have been agreed, and they represent her majesty’s wishes, so we’re not going say anything more on that.”
The spokesman also added that the queen and the royals had been grateful for all the messages of condolence from around the world.