Funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Embed from Getty Images 

The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 3:00 PM at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor England. It was a ceremonial royal funeral, the same as for Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002, rather than a state funeral which is usually reserved for monarchs. The funeral plans reflected The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a smaller, no-fuss funeral. His wishes were made clear to the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which is responsible for organizing the funeral. The arrangements were planned over many years, with The Duke of Edinburgh’s involvement and The Queen signed off on the funeral plans. Last-minute changes were necessary to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. After The Duke of Edinburgh’s death on April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle, his coffin, covered with his personal standard and a wreath of flowers, rested in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Procession from Windsor Castle to St. George’s Chapel

Embed from Getty Images

The funeral service was preceded by a ceremonial procession within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards moved the coffin from the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle the short distance to St. George’s Chapel. The band of the Grenadier Guards, of which The Duke of Edinburgh was Colonel for 42 years, led the procession. They were followed by the Major General’s Party, and then the Service Chiefs, reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s close relationship with all branches of the British military. The coffin was carried in a purpose-built Land Rover, which The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in designing.

Embed from Getty Images
The Range Rover carrying The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin

Royal Standard of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Credit- Wikipedia

The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was draped with his personal flag, his royal standard, representing his Danish and Greek heritage, the Mountbatten family, and his British title.

  • Lions and hearts from the Danish coat of arms
  • The national flag of Greece
  • Black and white stripes from the Mountbatten family arms
  • The arms of the city of Edinburgh representing his title Duke of Edinburgh

Embed from Getty Images

The Duke of Edinburgh’s four children, his three eldest grandsons, his son-in-law, and his nephew by marriage walked behind the coffin, in this order:

The Prince of Wales – The Princess Royal

The Duke of York – The Earl of Wessex

The Duke of Cambridge – Peter Phillips – The Duke of Sussex

David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon – Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

Plan of Windsor Castle. Key: A: Round Tower, B: Upper Ward, Quadrangle, C: State Apartments, D: Private Apartments, E: South Wing, F: Lower Ward, G: St George’s Chapel, H: Horseshoe Cloister, K: King Henry VIII Gate, L: The Long Walk, M: Norman Gate, N: North Terrace, O: Edward III Tower, T:  Curfew Tower; Credit – Wikipedia

The procession proceeded from the Quadrangle in the Upper Ward, into the Lower Ward, and then into Horseshoe Cloister. The route of the procession was lined by representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force, and The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. Guns were fired at intervals of one minute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn at Windsor Castle and the Curfew Tower Bell tolled during the procession.

Embed from Getty Images

The National Anthem was played as the coffin arrived in Horseshoe Cloister, the area in front of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel, where it was met by the Commonwealth Defense Advisers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Trinidad and Tobago. The West Steps of St. George’s Chapel were lined by a Dismounted Detachment of the Household Cavalry. Reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Navy service, a Royal Navy Piping Party was in position on the south side of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel. When the Land Rover stopped at the foot of the West Steps, the Piping Party piped the ‘Still’ – used to call all hands to attention as a mark of respect or to order silence on any occasion.

Then the pallbearers lifted the coffin and proceeded up the West Steps, stopping on the second landing. The Royal Navy Piping Party then piped the ‘Side’ – used when distinguished visitors arrive onboard a Royal Navy ship. The coffin paused for the National Minute Silence at 3:00 PM.

Embed from Getty Images

At the top of the West Steps, David Connor, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury received the coffin. As the doors to St. George’s Chapel closed, the Royal Navy Piping Party piped the ‘Carry On’ – used to dismiss the crew back to their duties.

Guests

Embed from Getty Images

Although St. George’s Chapel can seat 800 people, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there could be only 30 guests at the funeral. Buckingham Palace said The Queen faced some very difficult decisions in selecting the guests and wanted all branches of her husband’s family to be represented. The guests, who sat socially distanced in family groups, wore masks during the funeral service and members of the Royal Family wore day dress or morning coat with medals.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

The Duke of Edinburgh’s four sisters were represented by members of the House of Baden, the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and the House of Hesse.

  • Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden: Heir to the Head of the House of Baden, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Maximilian, Margrave of Baden who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and Berthold, Margrave of Baden
  • Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg: Head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark and Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
    Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse: Head of the House of Hesse, into which The Duke of Edinburgh’s sisters Princess Cecile of Greece and Denmark and Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark married. Via their mutual descent from Queen Victoria, Donatus is the third cousin twice removed of both The Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen. Cecilie married Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine who was a grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Alice). Sophie first married Prince Christoph of Hesse (son of Princess Margarete of Prussia who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal). After Christoph died in World War II, Sophie married Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover who was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal.

The Funeral Service

The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (link below) contains all prayers, hymns, and instructions. In addition, some links have been added to provide additional information.

Embed from Getty Images

The funeral service began as the coffin entered St. George’s Chapel and was carried in procession to the catafalque in the quire followed by the family members who participated in the procession. Before the service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s naval cap and sword were placed on the coffin.

Embed from Getty Images

Before his death, the Duke of Edinburgh decided which of his insignia, the medals and decorations conferred on him by the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, would be displayed at his funeral. The insignia he chose, together with his Field Marshal’s baton and Royal Air Force Wings, and his insignia from Greece and Denmark, as he was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, were placed on cushions on the altar before the funeral service.

Embed from Getty Images
Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

As per The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes, no sermon or eulogy was delivered. No members of the royal family read lessons or gave readings. The service was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. Due to public health guidelines because of COVID-19, some elements of the funeral plan were modified, although the funeral service was still very much in line with The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a simple, no-fuss funeral.

Embed from Getty Images
David Conner, Dean of Windsor

During the funeral service, a choir of four singers (three male Lay Clerks, the adult singers of St George’s Chapel Choir, and one outside female soprano) was conducted by James Vivian, Organist & Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the organ was played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The choir, located in the nave, away from the seated congregation, sang four pieces of music chosen by The Duke of Edinburgh. In line with public health guidelines due to COVID-19, there was no singing by the congregation.

The Burial

Embed from Getty Images
An artist’s depiction of the Royal Vault: The bench in the middle is used as a temporary place for coffins waiting to be interred elsewhere. Coffins of permanent burials were placed on the shelves along the sides.

By the time of King George II’s death in 1760, the royal burial vaults at Westminster Abbey were quite crowded. His successor, his grandson King George III, decided to build a new royal vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The new Royal Vault was constructed in 1804 under what is now the Albert Memorial Chapel which was once the original chapel built by King Henry III and then used as the chapel of the Order of the Garter.

Coffins interred in the Royal Vault; Credit – the-lothians.blogspot.com

After the funeral service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault. The vault is accessible from the quire of St. George’s Chapel where a portion of the floor can be raised for lowering coffins into the passage that leads to the Royal Vault. In 1873, a mechanically operated platform was installed to ease the lowering of coffins into the vault, and steps to the vault were added behind the high altar. On September 19, 2022, when the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was moved to King George VI Memorial Chapel where Queen Elizabeth II’s parents King George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister Princess Margaret are interred.

King George VI Memorial Chapel; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • ABC News. 2021. Order of Service for the funeral of Prince Philip. [online] ABC News. Available at: <https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/order-service-funeral-prince-philip-77126374> [Accessed 17 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip: Duke’s four children to walk alongside coffin at funeral. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56761074> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip funeral: Plans, timings and TV coverage. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56694327> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Who is going to Prince Philip’s funeral?. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56765468> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • Foster, Max and Said-Moorhouse, Lauren, 2021. Royal New: Funeral of Prince Philp. [online] CNN. Available at: <https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/16185745461597f028d3d9ece/raw?utm_term=16185745461597f028d3d9ece&utm_source=cnn_Royal+News+April+16&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1618574546161&bt_ee=2CsV8c8KA32Eq8u01ykfbTgxTwJVlgL3CstWN%2Fv1c3eXMqFwDhBFxEnwpAQtMlTU&bt_ts=1618574546161> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • The Royal Family. 2021. Funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh. [online] Available at: <https://www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0> [Accessed 17 April 2021].