LONDON (AP) – Prince William and Prince Harry will not walk side by side on Saturday as they follow their grandfather’s coffin to church ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral, minimizing the possibility of awkward moments between siblings who they encounter tension problems. relationships since Harry’s decision to move away from royal duties last year.
Buckingham Palace on Thursday published the outlines of the funeral program for Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, who died on April 9, 1999. The palace revealed that William and Harry’s cousin, Peter Phillips, will walk between the princes as they listen to the coffin to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, west London.
Prince Charles, the heir to the throne and the prince’s father, along with his sister, Princess Anna, will lead the 15-member procession.
The brothers had been closely watched as Saturday’s funeral will surely remind the couple of their shared pain at another royal funeral more than two decades ago. When they were young, they both walked behind the coffin of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997 in London in a ceremony observed around the world.
Palace officials declined to comment when asked if William and Harry’s position was an effort to minimize family tensions, which have grown after Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, left. doing an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey who suggested an unnamed member of the royal family had made a racist comment to Harry before the birth of his son Archie.
Meghan, who is pregnant and living in California with Harry, does not come to the funeral on the advice of her doctor.
“We will not be attracted to these perceptions of drama or anything like that,” a palace spokesman said as he spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with the policy. “It is a funeral and the arrangements have been agreed upon and represent Her Majesty’s wishes.”
In another effort to preserve family unity, the palace said members of the royal family would wear civilian clothes to the funeral. The decision, signed by the queen, means that Harry will not risk being the only member of the royal family who is not in uniform during the funeral.
Members of the royal family often wear uniforms for public events under their honorary roles with the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, but Harry lost his honorary military titles when he decided to resign. royal frontline last year. As a result, the protocol suggests that Harry, an army veteran who did two service tours in Afghanistan, would only wear a dress with medals to the royal functions.
The decision also ignores another potential controversy after it was reported that Prince Andrew, the queen’s second eldest son, considered wearing an admiral’s uniform at his father’s funeral. Andrew retains his military titles even though he was forced to leave the royal duties after a disastrous interview with the BBC about his knowledge of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Attendance at the funeral will be limited to 30 people due to coronavirus restrictions in England. The list will include several relatives from Philip’s Germany, along with immediate members of the royal family. The children of the family will not attend.
Guests will wear masks inside the chapel and observe social distancing. The queen, always the first to set an example, will also wear a mask.
In other details published about the funeral, the clarinets of the Royal Marine will sound “Action Stations”, an alarm that warns sailors to prepare for battle.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Royal Navy for 12 years and maintained close relations with the armed forces throughout his life. Military personnel will play a major role in honoring Saturday despite the attendance limit.
Members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force and the British Army will take part in the funeral procession. Philip’s coffin will be taken to St. George’s Chapel in a specially adapted Land Rover that he himself designed.
On Thursday, Charles and his wife Camilla visited Marlborough House in central London to see a sea of floral tributes to Philip, who have moved from the gates of Buckingham Palace.
The couple spent some time looking at the letters and notes with the flowers. Items left in homage included a Land Rover model similar to the one Philip’s coffin will carry on Saturday, with the words “The Duke RIP” on the roof.
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For full AP coverage of Prince Philip’s death, go to https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip