Death of Prince Philip: funeral Saturday in Windsor in the presence of Harry but without Meghan

The United Kingdom mourns its prince consort.

The funeral of Prince Philip, who died this Friday, will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 3 p.m. local time at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where the husband of Elizabeth II passed away, Buckingham Palace announced.

The private ceremony will be broadcast on television and will take place in the presence of Prince Harry, currently in California, but not his wife Meghan Markle, pregnant, it is specified.

An absence without surprise in view of the relations between the ex-princess and her in-laws.

It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.

pic.twitter.com/XOIDQqlFPn

- The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 9, 2021

Prince Philip could have been entitled to a state funeral but had himself made it known that he did not wish for an event with great pomp.

He had indicated that he preferred a private, military-style ceremony in St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Due to the pandemic, the number of guests will be limited to 30 people.

The population is invited to observe a minute of silence at 2:00 p.m. GMT (3:00 p.m. London), at the start of the ceremony.

It is held just four days before the birthday of the Queen, who will turn 95 on April 21, and the one she married in 1947, 73 years ago.

National mourning

The country began a national mourning, which will last until the day after the funeral.

Tributes have begun, from the Tower of London on the Thames, the castles of Edinburgh or Belfast, in the British enclave of Gibraltar, on ships of the Royal Navy, where he served in World War II, the noise of the cannons resounded on Saturday noon.

This salvo, the first in a series of 41 (one per minute), paid tribute to the man who had become the patriarch of the British royal family, after being born Prince of Greece in Corfu.

Silent, the Queen received a visit from her sons, Princes Andrew and Edward, at Windsor Castle on Saturday.

“The Queen has been fantastic,” Prince Edward's wife Sophie, visibly moved, told reporters as she drove out of the castle.

Prince Charles went there on Friday.

Known for not having his tongue in his pocket, Prince Philip was noted for his provocative remarks sometimes tinged with racism or sexism.

But the British also remember his tireless dedication to a monarchy that he helped to modernize and humanize, and his presence, withdrawn but flawless, alongside the sovereign.

“It represented stability but also fun, a sense of humor, which we sometimes seem to have lost,” said Heather Bridge, 65, near the Tower of London.

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Prince Philip has participated in more than 22,000 official public engagements since his wife's accession to the throne in 1952. Since 2009, he has held the record for longevity for a prince consort.

Elizabeth II must now face alone the crises which shake the British royal family, such as the recent criticisms of her grandson Harry and Meghan towards "The Firm", nickname of the monarchy, accused of racism and lack of support for its wife.