The Queen’s final farewell to her strength and whereabouts: Her Majesty is adamant she will join 1,800 mourners in her first major public engagement in six months at today’s service for her beloved husband Prince Philip
- Royal aides revealed the 95-year-old Queen was “actively involved” in the plans
- It includes some items the Duke had planned for his funeral last April
- It will give thanks for the Duke’s commitment to family, nation and commonwealth
- Around 1,800 are due in service today, including British and European royalty
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not returning from the US for the service
- A final decision on their participation will not be made until this morning
The Queen was scheduled to attend tonight’s thanksgiving service for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh last night.
She is said to have been determined to travel to London to pay tribute to her husband Philip’s long and productive life, in what would be her first major public engagement away from Windsor Castle in almost six months.
Royal aides revealed that the 95-year-old monarch was “actively involved” in plans for the service at Westminster Abbey, “with many elements reflecting Her Majesty’s wishes” when the order of service was unveiled last night.
It includes several items the Duke had planned for his funeral in April last year but were banned by Covid restrictions at the time.
The Queen was scheduled to attend tonight’s thanksgiving service for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh last night (Pictured: The Queen sits alone at Philip’s reduced funeral last April)
These include the participation of Gold Prize winners from the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) and Sea Cadets, his express wish for the congregation to sing the rousing hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and playing for clergymen from the royal estates of Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral a special role.
His funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor was limited to just 30 mourners amid the pandemic and mass singing has been banned, with the Queen sitting alone in a mask.
Some 1,800 guests are expected to attend today’s service, including British and European royalty, representatives of the many charities of which the Duke has been patron or president, Boris and Carrie Johnson and Sir David Attenborough.
But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not returning from the US for the service.
She is said to have been determined to travel to London to pay tribute to her husband Philip’s long and productive life, in what would be her first major public engagement away from Windsor Castle in almost six months
While the Queen’s arrival is mentioned in the order of the service, it is understood that a final decision on her presence will not be made until this morning first thing.
She was recently forced to pull out of a series of engagements due to poor health and old age. She was unable to attend the Commonwealth Day service this month due to mobility and comfort concerns.
Helpers are believed to have taken steps to ensure the service, which will be broadcast live on BBC 1, was less taxing for the Queen.
Rather than arriving at the Abbey’s usual west entrance, which would involve steps and a long walk down the nave in front of the cameras, the Queen could be wheeled around the side of the building and enter via the ‘Poet’s’ outside the public entrance’. She would then have a much shorter route to her place.
The service thanked the Duke for his commitment to family, nation and commonwealth and recognized his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation and supporting the armed forces
The service thanked the Duke for his commitment to family, nation and commonwealth and recognized his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation and supporting the armed forces.
One of the elements planned for the funeral, which has now been included in the service, will see nine gold DofE award winners along with representatives from the UK Cadet Force Associations on the line of entry routes into the Abbey.
Philip, who died in April last year at the age of 99, created the DofE Award in 1956 and was a Colonel in the Army Cadet Force, a role he first held in 1953.
A tenth DofE Gold Laureate, Doyin Sonibare, 28, of London, will present an award.
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