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| Due to the Corona virus, the authorities have asked the British not to attend Windsor (HANNAH MCKAY / POOL / AFP) |
A week after mourning, the United Kingdom ended preparations for the funeral of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II who died at the age of 99, when analysts plan to examine any sign of reconciliation between Princes William and Harry.
To fulfill the wish of the Duke of Edinburgh, who died last Friday (9), he will be buried in Windsor Castle, 50 km west of London.
Due to the pandemic, only 30 people will attend the funeral, most of them close relatives. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has given up his seat, announced that he will watch the party on TV at the Checkers residence.
The commander of the armed forces, General Nick Carter, said the funeral, scheduled to begin at 3 pm (11 am GMT), should reflect the great respect the military holds for Philip.
Carter told the BBC that the ceremony would be “with military precision and above all a celebration of a good life.” “It will also show the extent of the admiration and respect of the armed forces,” he added.
Prince Philip, who requested a simple but military-style party, served as a naval officer in WWII and maintained close ties with the military.
The coffin will not be transported in a core, but in a green military Land Rover designed according to instructions given by the Duke for years, who has been considering opening a back to take the coffin and even designing metal rivets that should prevent the coffin from moving.
The three units of the Armed Forces will be present at Windsor Park to collect the coffin. The trumpets of the Grenadier Guard, who was Philip Colonel for 42 years, should lead the procession to the São Jorge Church, where the ceremony will take place.
Tension between William and Harry
This would be Harry’s first public appearance with the royal family since he and his wife Megan gave an explosive interview. In a conversation with American TV presenter Oprah Winfrey, they accused an unidentified member of the royal family of racism.
The 36-year-old prince, who shook the monarchy a year ago when he decided to abandon his royal duties and move to California, will not walk behind his grandfather’s coffin alongside Brother William, 38, second in line to the throne.
Between the two brothers, whose strained relationship occupies a lot of space in the British press, will be their cousin Peter Phillips. “This may be an oddball in planning, or a deliberate attempt to keep them apart,” the Times wrote.
While the announcement sparked speculation about the ongoing rift between the two brothers, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace told The Sun: “We will not get into imaginations and drama.”
“The devices were placed in this way and represent the desires of Her Majesty the Queen,” he added.
The 95-year-old Elizabeth II will arrive on April 21 in an official Bentley with an escort, but she will be seated alone in the chapel.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of the Anglicans, who will lead the ceremony, has asked Britons of all faiths to support the Queen in this “time of turmoil”.
She and all guests must wear masks and stay away from the Coronavirus. Among those present, in addition to their children, Camilla, the wife of the heir to the throne – Charles, 72 years old – all the descendants of the duke and their husbands, the children of the Queen’s sister – the late Princess Margaret – and three German relatives of Philip.
Also invited was a close friend of the Duke, Countess of Mountbatten of Myanmar, who shared his passion for equestrian sports. Due to the Corona virus, the authorities have asked the British not to attend Windsor. The funeral will be shown on TV.
The BBC, which cut off all programming on the day of Philip’s death and part of the following day, reported all programs to offer intense private coverage, on Thursday that it had received nearly 110,000 complaints, a record high, deemed the procedure excessive and criticized the lack of options for viewers.
