The funeral of Prince Philip, who died this Friday at the age of 99, will take place next Saturday, April 17, in the Chapel of St. George, in Windsor Castle, confirmed on Saturday a spokesman for Buckingham Palace.
Although the royal family expects mourners to celebrate the "extraordinary life" of the Duke of Edinburgh in the coming days, the COVID-19 pandemic "has forced
significant adaptations to the original arrangements for the funeral of His Royal Highness.
"said the spokesman.
While this is naturally a time of sadness and mourning for the royal family and the many others who knew or admired the Duke of Edinburgh, it is hoped that the next few days will also be seen as an opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary, remarkable life. both in terms of his vast contribution and lasting legacy, "he said.
The United Kingdom pays tribute to Prince Philip
April 9, 202101: 54
Philip's coffin will be transported from the Castle to the chapel in a specially modified Land Rover that he helped design and followed by Prince Charles and the royals, who will go on foot.
A minute of national silence will be observed and the funeral will be televised.
Service will begin at 3:00 pm local time
.
(10:00 am ET).
Only 30 people are expected to attend, including Philip's children, grandchildren and other close family members.
[Prince Philip of Edinburgh: almost a century of life in pictures]
His death will be marked with 41 cannon shots at noon on Saturday in different parts of the country, including the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle, as well as in Gibraltar and on ships of the Royal Navy.
The prince had asked for a simple ceremony, so it is not just the pandemic that has led to planning a reserved ceremony.
His coffin was wrapped in his personal flag: his banner.
The flag represents elements of his life, from his Greek heritage to his British titles.
Prince
Harry, Philip's grandson, will travel from the United States
for the funeral, the Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed.
However, his wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, will not travel after her doctor advised her not to do so out of precautions with her pregnancy, the spokesperson said.
Tribute to Prince Philip on a big screen at Piccadilly Circus in London this Friday, April 9, 2021. AP
They both paid tribute to Philip on Friday in a message thanking him for his service and saying they would "miss him very much."
Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, thanked the public on Saturday for their heartfelt condolences and messages of support following the death of his "dear dad".
Carlos, 72, who visited his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle on Friday after news of his father's death broke, said the family would miss him "enormously" in a short time. televised speech outside his Highgrove House.
"My dear dad was a very special person, who I think, above all, would have been astonished by the reaction and the moving things that have been said about him," he said.
Queen Elizabeth II approved British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's recommendation for national mourning, which began on April 9 and will run until the day of the funeral.
Mourners flock to Windsor Palace to leave wreaths for Prince Philip even after recommendations not to go for the COVID-19 pandemic.
AP
But the Palace and the British Government
urged people not to gather or leave flowers outside the royal residences
to honor the prince.
Instead, they invited the population to sign an online condolence book to avoid crowds and long lines.
The UK has the highest death toll from the pandemic in Europe at 127,000, and it is still under certain lockdown restrictions to combat COVID-19.
Philip was the longest serving consort in the British monarchy.
He died just two months before his 100th birthday.
With information from NBC News
