Prince Philip laid to rest at Windsor Castle

Prince Philip was laid to rest at Windsor Castle on Saturday as members of the royal family gathered for a funeral service in honor of the Duke of Edinburgh, who died last week at the age of 99. 

The service, which took place inside the grounds of Windsor Castle, was televised, as the intimate ceremony was restricted to just 30 attendees due to safety precautions amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Queen Elizabeth II, Philip’s wife of 73 years, along with her four children and eight grandchildren were all in attendance to mourn the loss of the royal family’s patriarch. 

Ahead of the service, a moment of silence was held across Britain, with Heathrow Airport stopping all arrivals and departures for six minutes, ABC News reported. 

A procession was led on the castle grounds to a mass service at St. George’s Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, were married in 2018. 

The funeral for Prince Philip, the late husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, began with a procession. A Land Rover carried his coffin, followed on foot by his children, other members of the royal family and royal aides. https://t.co/pF64RpNkq4 pic.twitter.com/kSDpg9IyxL

— CNN (@CNN) April 17, 2021

Philip’s coffin traveled on a Land Rover that he helped modify, which included open-top rear section and several stops to hold his coffin in place.

Philip, who spent nearly 14 years in the Royal Navy, also had the vehicle repainted military green.

1st Battalion Grenadier Guards hold Prince Philip’s coffin. https://t.co/IYDh6SRawj pic.twitter.com/RRkZL0lj2s

— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 17, 2021

Prince Philip’s procession to St. George’s Chapel is underway on a route lined with military services. https://t.co/8nABeNTACc pic.twitter.com/YSSZLGt9Ef

— ABC News (@ABC) April 17, 2021

The procession walking behind the coffin was led by Prince Charles, heir to the throne and Philip’s oldest child, along with his three other children, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. 

Behind them were Prince William and Prince Harry, marking the first time the two were seen together in more than a year since Harry and Meghan decided to step down as full-time working members of the royal family. 

Their cousin and the son of Princess Anne, Peter Phillips, stood between the brothers, whose relationship has reportedly been strained since Harry and Meghan moved to California. 

Meghan was not present at the funeral service, as Buckingham Palace announced last week that her doctor had advised her not to travel due to the upcoming birth of the couple’s second child. 

However, ABC’s “Good Morning America” reported that Meghan sent a personalized wreath to be laid for Philip at the funeral service as well as a handwritten note. 

Members of the royal family put on masks and practiced social distancing as they entered St. George’s Chapel on Saturday. 

Prince Philip, the late husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, was laid to rest Saturday in the royal vault. The funeral was attended by the Queen, Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles. https://t.co/x1UUnYC7LI pic.twitter.com/cZoUX79m8D

— CNN (@CNN) April 17, 2021

The queen and Harry were each pictured sitting alone in the chapel, with other family members sitting only with other people in their immediate households due to social distancing requirements. 

Queen Elizabeth takes her seat for the funeral of Prince Philip, placed alone in the ceremony at St George’s Chapel with her children, grandchildren and a select group of royal mourners, separated due to COVID rules. More photos: https://t.co/1vsbipgXlG Victoria Jones pic.twitter.com/KeaqOR0qM3

— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) April 17, 2021

Members of the royal family did not offer eulogies, and the only people who offered remarks were the dean of Windsor and the archbishop of Canterbury.

The dean, the Right Reverend David Conner, KCVO, said during the roughly 50-minute funeral service that the country has “been inspired” by Philip’s “unwavering loyalty to our queen, by his service to the nation and the commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith.”

At the conclusion of the service, Philip was interred in the chapel’s royal vault. 

According to ABC, his body will eventually be moved following the queen’s death so the couple can be buried alongside each other in the King George VI Memorial Chapel.