Prince Philip: Duke’s four children to walk alongside coffin at funeral

The Duke of Edinburgh’s four children will walk alongside his coffin at his funeral on Saturday.

Princes Charles, Andrew, Edward and Princess Anne, as well as grandsons Princes William and Harry, will walk alongside a modified Land Rover hearse to St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

The guest list for the service includes 30 people, with three German relatives.

Those attending will be in morning coats with medals, or day dress, but not wear military uniform.

The congregation will put on masks and socially distance in line with Covid lockdown rules, with the Queen seated alone.

The details of Prince Philip’s ceremonial royal funeral at the chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle at 15:00 BST were released by Buckingham Palace.

A Palace spokesman said the plans have been modified to take into account current public health guidelines, but the ceremonial aspects of the day and the service remain in line with the duke’s wishes.

He said the service will be reflection of Prince Philip’s military affiliations and personal elements of his life.

The duke’s association with the Royal Navy will be reflected, with buglers of the Royal Marines sounding Action Stations – a signal that all hands should be ready for battle – during the service.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen faced “some very difficult” decisions in selecting the guests permitted under Covid rules, from plans for a 800-strong congregation, adding she wanted all branches of the duke’s family to be represented.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April aged 99.

His body is now resting in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.

On the day of the funeral, the coffin will be moved from the private chapel to the State Entrance of Windsor Castle. It will be placed on a modified Land Rover, that the duke himself helped design, to be carried the short distance to St George’s Chapel.

The pallbearers will walk in a line behind their grandfather’s coffin.

The Queen will travel in the state Bentley in the procession, behind the family members on foot, before entering by a side door to the chapel.

The other guests include the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, all of the duke’s grandchildren and their spouses, the children of the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, and Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden; Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, previously known as Lady Romsey and Lady Brabourne, who was Philip’s carriage driving partner and one of his closest friends will also be in attendance.

The 67-year-old countess is the wife of Earl Mountbatten, Norton Knatchbull – the grandson of Prince Philip’s beloved uncle the 1st Earl Mountbatten, who was killed by the IRA in 1979.

A reduced choir of four singers will feature at the service but the congregation will follow Covid rules and not sing.

The full order of service will be released on Friday evening.

The Duke of Edinburgh personally selected the regalia that will be on the altar for his funeral.

It is made up of the medals and decorations conferred on him by the UK and Commonwealth countries – together with his Royal Air Force wings and Field Marshal’s baton, and insignia from Denmark and Greece, highlighting his birth heritage as a Prince of Greece and Denmark.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Remembered: BBC One, Friday 16 April, 19:00-20:05

The Funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: BBC One, Saturday 17 April, 12:30-16:20 and 20:10-21:10

The funeral will also be broadcast on Saturday 17 April from 14:00-16:10 on Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live, BBC World Service English, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Ulster.

It will also be broadcast on BBC Radio Wales and BBC local radio with some variation in start times.