Why the Queen wore green to Prince Philips memorial service

Why the Queen wore green to Prince Philip’s memorial service

  • The funeral service for Prince Philip took place on Tuesday, almost a year after his death.
  • The Queen wore a shade of green that appeared to be a tribute to her late husband.
  • Another subtle nod included orchids in the flowers, a feature of the queen’s wedding bouquet.

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The Queen and several other royals appeared to pay tribute to Prince Philip by wearing green outfits to his memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday, which came almost a year after his death.

The memorial marked the first major official engagement Queen Elizabeth II has attended since October 2021, Sky News reported, and came just over a month since she tested positive for COVID-19. She was escorted by Prince Andrew from her residence at Windsor Castle to the Abbey during the BBC’s live broadcast of the service, where viewers got their first glimpse of her emerald green coat dress.

The hue was reminiscent of Philips’ official livery colour, Edinburgh Green, the Independent reported. The Duke’s page wore a similar shade of dark green during Philip’s coronation and a specially adapted Land Rover hearse was painted the same color for his funeral on 17 April 2021.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew at Prince Philip's funeral

Prince Andrew escorts Queen Elizabeth II to Prince Philip’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022 in London. BBC

The Queen complemented her outfit with a matching hat, a pair of sleek black shoes and a black handbag. She also paid tribute to Philip by donning a yellow gold, ruby ​​and diamond ‘scarab brooch’ which was given to her as a personal gift by her husband in 1966. Hello! magazine reports.

She wasn’t the only attendee to honor her late husband through fashion. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and her daughter Princess Anne also took the opportunity to integrate the special shade of green into their own outfits.

While some have suggested that a service dedicated to Philip and his legacy may have required royals to wear formal black attire, a Buckingham Palace spokesman told Insider that there actually isn’t any protocol for it, as it is a thanksgiving service. Instead, royal attendees like the Cambridges wore a “lounge suit” dress code, the spokesperson added.

The Cambridge family arrive at the Prince Philip memorial in Westminster Abbey.

The Cambridge family arrive at the Prince Philip memorial in Westminster Abbey. Samir Hussein/WireImage

However, they declined to comment on whether the color worn by all three royals was actually a tribute to Philip.

Nonetheless, according to a palace press release, the Queen was “actively involved in the planning” for the service. The event took place at the same venue where she and Philip were married in 1947.

A subtle nod to their 73-year relationship was the inclusion of white dendrobium orchids and sea holly in the floral arrangement. According to the press release, orchids were featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet and the sea holly is a symbol of the Duke of Edinburgh’s naval career “and his lifelong affection for the sea”.