Prince Philip’s funeral will be a “profound” chance for Queen Elizabeth II to say goodbye to her husband of 73 years, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.
The Duke of Edinburgh will be laid to rest at Windsor Castle on Saturday (17.04.21) following his death at the age of 99 last week and Justin Welby has said that the monarch will act with the same “extraordinary courage and dignity that she always does”.
The archbishop told the BBC: “We really have to avoid judging from anything external. She’s the Queen. She will behave with the extraordinary dignity, extraordinary courage that she always does.
“And at the same time she is saying farewell to someone to whom she was married for 73 years. I think that must be a very, very profound thing… in anybody’s life.”
Welby, who will officiate at the service, added that people of faith could pray for the Queen or “sympathise and in their hearts offer their condolences to her and the hope for her to find strength in what must be an anguished moment”.
Meanwhile, the head of the UK’s armed forces General Sir Nick Carter suggested that the funeral – where only 30 mourners will be present due to coronavirus restrictions – will have Philip’s “fingerprints (all) over it”.
The duke helped to design the specially-modified Land Rover hearse that will carry his coffin and has personally selected the military regalia that will be on display at the funeral, with Carter hailing Philip’s “extraordinary war record”.
He said: “I think people will realise that this is a life worth looking into and I think they will be surprised by what he achieved and what he did in his 99 years.”
It has been confirmed by the Palace that no military uniforms will be worn by members of the Royal Family at the funeral – as is usually traditional at a ceremonial royal funeral.
A palace spokesperson said: “Members of the royal family will be wearing morning coats with medals or day dress. That’s to say members of the royal family will not be in military uniform.”