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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Jessica Sansome

Prince Philip funeral details in full - timeline of events

Prince Philip's funeral details have been released ahead of Saturday.

The Duke of Edinburgh will be laid to rest in a small service at St George's Chapel within the ground of Windsor Castle.

His death was announced last Friday, April 9, in a statement from Buckingham Palace on behalf of the Queen.

It read: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

"His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.

"Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."

Individual tributes have since been made by other senior members of the royal family including the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex.

The family will now join together on Saturday for Prince Philip's funeral - the first royal funeral to take place since the death of The Queen Mother in 2002.

The Duke's funeral plans were part of Operation Forth Bridge, the strict procedures put in place for when the Duke of Edinburgh passed away.

The Forth Bridge plans have been in place for many years, and were updated and reviewed regularly by Buckingham Palace staff in consultation with both the Queen and Philip.

However, changes have had to be made in line with coronavirus rules and despite being entitled to a state funeral, it has previously been reported that the Duke asked for little fuss and said he would prefer a discreet send off.

Here is a timeline of events for the funeral of Prince Philip on Saturday:

The Queen will arrive in the state Bentley and sit alone during the service (PA)

The funeral will begin at 2.40pm on Saturday when the coffin will be carried out onto the Quadrangle and placed onto a modified Land Rover designed by the Duke.

The procession will then begin at 2.45pm with members of the Royal Family walking behind the Duke's coffin.

This will include Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry. The Queen will not arrive on foot.

She will arrive in the state Bentley by a lady-in-waiting as it will form part of the procession making its way to the chapel on Saturday afternoon.

Leading the procession to the chapel will be the Band of the Grenadier Guards, followed by the Major General commanding the Household Division, service chiefs and the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin carried on a custom-built Land Rover hearse ahead of the members of the royal family on foot, Philip's household staff, and finally the Bentley carrying the Queen.

King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery rehearse on the Long Walk on Friday ahead of Prince Philip's funeral (Getty Images)

Minutes later a Guard of Honour and band from The Rifles will receive the coffin at the foot of the West Steps before members of the Royal Marines carry the coffin up the steps

A minutes silence will be help at 3pm before the service begins.

The service is expected to last 50 minutes.

At the conclusion of the service, Prince Philip will be interred in the Royal Vault in St. George's Chapel.

The funeral has been limited to 30 guests in line with funeral rules currently in place in England.

The Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal and husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their spouses, Peter Phillips and Zara and Mike Tindall will all attend.

The Duke of Edinburgh's carriage-driving companion – one of his closest confidantes – Countess Mountbatten of Burma will also join mourners at Philip’s funeral as well as three German relatives – whose ancestors were denied a place at Princess Elizabeth and Philip’s wedding because of anti-German feeling after the second war.

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