Prince Philip’s Funeral Plans: When Is It? And Will It Be On TV?

After Prince Philip died last Friday, peacefully at the age of 99, many have since gathered to pay their respects to the Duke of Edinburgh outside Buckingham Palace. Members of the royal family have also paid tribute to the Duke, with Prince Harry calling him 'a man of service, honour and great humour' and the 'legend of banter' and Prince William labelling him an 'extraordinary man'.

Many are now wondering when Philip's funeral will be, whether we will be able to watch the event and who will attend. Here's a rundown of the proceedings, which are taking place this weekend.

When is Prince Philip's funeral? What time is Prince Philip's funeral? And where will it be held?

The Duke's funeral will be held on Saturday, 17 April at 3pm. It will be held at St George's Chapel, in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh will have a ceremonial funeral - the Queen Mother and Princess Diana had ceremonial funerals - instead of a state funeral.

What is the order of service for Prince Philip's funeral?

On Saturday, the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin will be moved privately from the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle to the Inner Hall. It will be carried from the State Entrance at 2.41pm, with the Procession beginning at 2.45pm ahead of the national minute's silence at 3pm. The members of the Royal Family not in the procession will already be in position at St. George’s Chapel, watching from the Galilee Porch.

How will the funeral be affected by government rules? Will The Queen wear a mask? Will she sit alone?

The Queen will then be received by the Dean of Windsor, and all attendees will be asked to take their seats. The Dean of Windsor will conduct the ceremony, and the Archbishop of Canterbury will do the blessing: the clergy are exempt from the rule of thirty at funerals. All attendees will wear masks for the Service and must sit in their own household groups - unfortunately, this means that The Queen will sit alone.

The family will not be in military garb. There will be no singing from members of the congregation, in line with covid regulations, but The National Anthem will be sung by a choir of four as the Duke's coffin is laid in the Royal Vault.

How long will the funeral take?

It is scheduled to last around fifty minutes, separate from the procession.

Why is Prince Philip not lying in state?

The late Duke reportedly didn't want members of the public to be able to visit his coffin in state. It is thought that this request came down to safety during lockdown, but also relates to his desire to not make a fuss.

What is the difference between a state funeral and a ceremonial funeral?

The key difference actually comes down to permissions. A state funeral is generally reserved for monarchs, although there are exceptions. Winston Churchill, for example, received a state funeral, being the last non-monarch to receive the honour. A state funeral requires the monarch's approval alongside a parliamentary debate and agreement. A ceremonial funeral requires the monarch's approval only.

How to watch Prince Philip's funeral?

The service will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer. Before the service, at around 2:45 p.m there will be a ceremonial procession inside the grounds of Windsor Castle, which will also be televised.

A minute's silence will be held nationwide at 3pm.

Who is going to Prince Philip's funeral?

Eight hundred people were scheduled to be invited to the funeral, but that was before the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to restrictions, only 30 people will be at Philip's funeral. Buckingham Palace have confirmed that Prince Harry is coming back to the UK for the event.

The family in the procession will be William, Duke of Cambridge, who will stand shoulder to shoulder with his cousin Peter Phillips, who will have Harry, Duke of Sussex beside him. Prince Charles will stand beside his sister Princess Anne, with the Earl of Wessex beside the Duke of York.

Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, husband to Anne, and and Lord Snowden will also walk in the procession. There will also be personal protection officers and valets.

The Duchess of Cornwall, The Countess of Wessex, James Viscount Severn, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duchess of Cambridge, Mike and Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra will all be in attendance too. Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden, Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, German relatives of the Duke will also attend, as will his close friend Penny Brabourne, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

Why isn't Meghan Markle going to Prince Philip's funeral? And why isn't Boris Johnson going to Prince Philip's funeral?

Meghan has been advised not to travel by her US doctors, due to being heavily pregnant with her second child. A spokesman for the royal family had said Meghan would not be attending the funeral because she 'has been advised by her physician not to travel'. Prime minister Boris Johnson will not be attending, as Downing Street said he would prefer a friend or relative to go, considering there are very limited spaces.

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