The monarch entered the abbey with the hand of her second son, Prince Andrew, and then separated from him to walk alone in her place, easing concerns about unspecified “mobility issues” that have limited her public appearances in recent months. The choice of her companions will be considered as a vote of support for Andrew after he settled a lawsuit related to his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Elizabeth, who recently recovered from COVID-19, did not attend a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey earlier this month, although she continued with other scheduled engagements.
The queen participated in the planning of the service
The 95-year-old participated deeply in the planning of the service, which included hymns and tributes from the charities supported by Filippos. Such touches were not allowed during his funeral last year due to pandemic restrictions.
About 1,800 family members and guests attended Tuesday’s memorial service. Only 30 people were allowed to attend the funeral last year, which was held under strict quarantine rules that forced the queen to sit alone wearing a black mask as she mourned the loss of her 73-year-old husband. Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died on April 9 at the age of 99.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who was seen here with the Queen during a visit to Fredericton in 2002, died last year. (Andrew Vaughan / The Canadian Press)
The Reverend David Conner recalled Philip’s service to the Queen during today’s service, his dedication to protecting the environment and his commitment to equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed through the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
“Through his passionate commitment, he drew others to himself with admiration and respect and, in the case of those who lived and worked closer to him, genuine love,” Conner said.
Family dressed in green
There were also more subtle prices, which were rendered through the clothes of the royal choices. Elizabeth, her daughter, Princess Anne, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, were all dressed in dark green – echoing the vibrant color of Philip in Edinburgh Green.
The Queen was joined on the left by Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Anna, Princess Royal, Rear Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and on the back Prince William, Catherine, Duchess the children of Cam and Princess Charlotte. (Dominic Lipinski / Pool / Reuters)
Green was also worn by Doyin Sonibare, 28, who won top honors from the Duke of Edinburgh Award, created by Philip to teach young people confidence and life skills through outdoor activities and social service. More than 6.7 million teens and young adults have participated in the program since 1956.
Sonibare gave the main tribute to Philip, thanking him for creating a program that gave her the tools she needed to find her first job, go to university and now study for a doctorate in sickle cell research.
The highlight of the program is an overnight hike, which scared a teenager from East London who had never camped before and was afraid to climb steep hills.
“I thought I would stumble, go down the mountain and turn off the lights for Doyin,” he said. “Fortunately for me, that did not happen. I remember thinking to myself, if I could complete this mission, I could do anything, even though I was 18 at the time and uncertain about my future.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not attend
Entrances to Westminster Abbey were lined up by winners of the program’s top honors, the Gold Award, and members of youth student associations – a touch that Philip requested.
There were also prayers offered as a tribute to Philip’s faith, and the church was united in the song Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, which was not possible at his funeral due to restrictions on the song. The Queen sang together.
The British royal family attended, with Prince Charles sitting next to his mother and Prince William just behind her. The most notable absences were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Megan.
The queen also spoke during the service. (Dominic Lipinski / Pool / Reuters)
Prince Harry has filed a lawsuit against the British Home Office after being told he would not have the same level of security when visiting from his new base in the United States – even though he was offered to pay himself.
Harry wants to bring his children Archie and Lilibet to visit the United Kingdom, but it is very dangerous without police protection, his legal representatives said.
Many friends of Philip and about 30 foreign kings also took part, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Queen Margaret of Denmark, and King Felipe VI and Queen Leticia of Spain.
A short service, a family affair
The service was short – Philip was known to hate the commotion – with the queen leaving the church less than 50 minutes after entering. In 1953 she vowed to be the “antistress of life and the limb”. It was also a family occasion, showing that the Windsors will stay together even through the rough patches. The role of Andrew underlined that he is still a member of the family, even after the scandal caused by his ties with Epstein forced him to resign from public office. The prince earlier this month settled a lawsuit filed by an American woman who claimed she was forced to have sex with him when he was 17 years old. Andrew denies the allegations. “This is the queen who approved of Andrew after he paid millions to a woman he says he does not remember ever meeting,” royal analyst Peter Hunt wrote on Twitter. “Either Charles and William did not intervene – or they did and failed to stop the prince from playing such a high role in his father’s memorial service.”
