HRH The Prince Philip Funeral

[IamnotH]

Watching on BBC 1. Wish Huw would shut up and let us listen to the bands/watch them March.

This is exactly what I thought. Why didn't we know any of this until after he died? Plenty of criticism of him over the years and not much else. I had no idea that he was so involved in the WWF and had such a huge love of Animals etc. The British press have got a lot to answer for.

I am in my late fifties and knew most of this , I grew up with him being the the press and on TV talking about climate change and science and playing polo. He was always seen as outspoken and a moderniser and frankly pretty glamorous. I will also never forget Louis Mountbatten’s funeral and how devastated he and Charles looked.

It was all there if you bother to read it, but people these days make quick judgements , you are either good or bad, but the reality is that no one is perfect or all bad things are much more nuanced and more complicated.

I can't for one moment see how Harry was treated as an outcast. He walked next to his older cousin in the procession, in the place you would expect him to be. He stood alone in the church, as per Covid guidelines, as did Peter Phillips, Prince Andrew, the Duke of Kent and others who did not have a member of their own household to stand with. He walked back to the castle with his brother and sister in law, chatting as they walked.

An outcast?

I wonder if it's almost the way the press focus moved inexorably towards the younger generation that means people didn't know that much about Philip other than the tawdry stuff (most of which was misrepresented anyway- like the "slitty" eyes comment being a sarcastic reference to when a Chinese dignitary had previously said to Chinese students in Britain to be careful not to stay too long or they'd develop western facial features) I'm 55 and know more about him, the Kents, Gloucesters etc than I do about the younger royals and minor royals. I suppose growing up, those were the ones we heard about (70s mainly) when their children were small, and then it moved to the hurricane that was Diana and now of course to Meghan.
I also knew very little tbf about the Queen Mother so I suppose each generation had its Mastermind subject regarding them depending on age.
I found his history fascinating.
(Pains me to say it but Boris Johnson's family history is equally interesting. )

@mosgirl

I can't for one moment see how Harry was treated as an outcast. He walked next to his older cousin in the procession, in the place you would expect him to be. He stood alone in the church, as per Covid guidelines, as did Peter Phillips, Prince Andrew, the Duke of Kent and others who did not have a member of their own household to stand with. He walked back to the castle with his brother and sister in law, chatting as they walked.

An outcast?

Because the British tabloid press has stirred and stirred (they obviously don’t have any else to write about) and people do like their drama. As far as I know, there’s no actual evidence of a rift between William and Harry, just gossip and hearsay, but for some reason they were talking about it on the BBC news last night as if it’s an established fact

@MrsFin

Camilla passed DH going west on the M4 around 5pm, so she obviously didn't hang around king after the funeral.

Sky reported there was no wake afterwards.

One thing I noticed was the absence of bodyguards. I’m sure they were there, hiding behind pillars, dressed up in military uniform etc, but you didn’t see them which made it even more intimate. I’m sure the head of security was screaming into his radio when they decided to walk back. Also, I’m sure there was probably a full medical team located discreetly in the chapel somewhere also.

Harry himself indicated there was a rift though. Glad they behaved civilly to each other for the funeral. Whether they will be close again who knows.

@Standrewsschool

One thing I noticed was the absence of bodyguards. I’m sure they were there, hiding behind pillars, dressed up in military uniform etc, but you didn’t see them which made it even more intimate. I’m sure the head of security was screaming into his radio when they decided to walk back. Also, I’m sure there was probably a full medical team located discreetly in the chapel somewhere also.

I noticed this also. One of the shots of them walking abck showed a man in a suit standing on a roof, and this was jarring (not in a bad way) as it made me think about 'wear are the bodyguards'. I guess though inside the castle grounds there were no members of the public (that I could see) so they were protected.

As an aside, I think Sophie has matured into an exceptionally gracious and beautiful looking woman. I adored seeing her children as well. Viscount Severn is slightly older than my oldest DS and they look very similar.

*where.

[bangs head]

I can spell. Honest.

“ On Saturday 17 April 2021, Miriam Allan was one of a choir of four singers (three of whom were Lay Clerks of St George's Chapel Choir) during the funeral service of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The lay clerks were Tom Lilburn, Nicholas Madden, and Simon Whiteley.”

From Wikipedia giving the names of the Lay Clarks/singers. It also says she is married to another lay Clark, Richard Bannan.

Heavens I am doing a great impersonation of a Royalist!

(I never thought of myself as such though).

(As my mother used to say 'I just like looking at the pretty dresses..., ')

seeing the sweet peas made me wonder whether he had been her “Sweet P”....

Really? Feels a bit of a leap.

Even if Harry wasn't treated like an outcast I bet he felt like one. How awful for the reality of his betrayal to have sunk in.

There would be no bodyguards.
Windsor Castle would have been searched then secured by the Police before the funeral started.
There will have been armed Police teams in various high vantage points throughout the ceremony.
The cameras know not to show them for obvious reasons.

I'm an atheist but ...

The Queen wasn't really alone, was she? As a deeply religious woman she undoubtedly felt she was in the presence of her Saviour and would (I imagine) have taken great comfort from that. And her firm belief that her separation from her husband was temporary before they would be reunited for eternity.

I think many if you are projecting your personal experiences onto the Queen. She's a stoic and I doubt very much that she wanted to cling sobbing to Andrew or have Sophie clutch her hand. In private or in public.

The Queen will mourn in her own way.

Well said GlencoraP. I knew most of that about Prince Philip also - I'm 61 and don't live in the UK (but am in the Commonwealth). If people wanted to learn about his life and what he has done there is plenty of information out there.

So many young people seem to think the world began the day they were born and never bother to try and discover what has gone on before then, I'm always astounded at how little they know.

Anyone know who the female singer was?

@FatLadySings has identified her as Miriam Allan, and Australian opera singer - and an outstandingly fab one, too!

@GlencoraP

This is exactly what I thought. Why didn't we know any of this until after he died? Plenty of criticism of him over the years and not much else. I had no idea that he was so involved in the WWF and had such a huge love of Animals etc. The British press have got a lot to answer for.

I am in my late fifties and knew most of this , I grew up with him being the the press and on TV talking about climate change and science and playing polo. He was always seen as outspoken and a moderniser and frankly pretty glamorous. I will also never forget Louis Mountbatten’s funeral and how devastated he and Charles looked.

It was all there if you bother to read it, but people these days make quick judgements , you are either good or bad, but the reality is that no one is perfect or all bad things are much more nuanced and more complicated.

Great post

Has anyone watched the documentary about Princess Anne? Think its on the iplayer. I never realised how much Anne did for good causes, she works so incredibly hard. It was also nice to hear from her children saying about what a big part she plays in the grandchildren lives too.

It was said that the card said In Loving Memory but it was hard to see.

I think it will be King William and Queen Catherine. I can't see King William any Queen Consort Catherine went to X engagement today.

It was quite correct we didn't see the Duke's coffin completely disappear. Just seeing a small part of the start of the lowering was enough. The

'The Queen wasn't really alone, was she? As a deeply religious woman she undoubtedly felt she was in the presence of her Saviour and would (I imagine) have taken great comfort from that.'

Yes and also I initially thought she was alone throughout but it was only until the procession arrived and Andrew then sat 2 seats down from her.

I expect she wouldn't have wanted it any other way, knowing that is exactly how many of her subjects have had to endure funerals this year.

I thought it was lovely that his Private Secretary and some of his personal staff walked behind the coffin (the group of five men behind the family group).

Some of those 5 were the three German princes, weren't they?

And the other two were the Prince's long term Private Secretary Brig Archie Miller-Bakewell, and a representative from his close protection team

@EdithWeston

Some of those 5 were the three German princes, weren't they?

And the other two were the Prince's long term Private Secretary Brig Archie Miller-Bakewell, and a representative from his close protection team

None of his German relations walked in the procession. They were all sat in the chapel when the coffin arrived

I can't get over how perfect the weather was too. The whole day was just total perfection.