Why The Queen Will Sit By Herself At Prince Philip's Funeral
In the wake of Prince Philip's death at age 99, Queen Elizabeth is gearing up to say goodbye to her husband of 73 years. The late Duke of Edinburgh is set to be laid to rest on April 17, 2021, and all of the world will be watching as the royal family honors the life of their beloved member.
The British monarchy first revealed the news of Philip's death on April 9, 2021. "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," the statement read on Twitter. "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
The royal couple's children, including Prince Charles, as well as their grandchildren, Prince William and Prince Harry, also paid tribute to Philip's legacy in the days following his death. The Duke of Cambridge praised his grandfather for being an "extraordinary man," who had an "infectious sense of adventure" and a "mischievous sense of humor."
The Duke of Sussex, on the other hand, credited Philip for being "master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right 'til the end," per BBC.
Both William and Harry are expected to be in attendance at Philip's funeral, with the latter traveling all the way from his home in California. More details regarding Philip's service have been released, including the queen's seating location at the funeral. Keep scrolling to find out why she will sit by herself.
COVID-19 is keeping the queen from mourning beside her family
Prince Philip's funeral service is taking place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, but because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Queen Elizabeth and her fellow royal family members will have to comply with U.K. regulations. This means only 30 people will be in attendance, and it looks like Her Majesty will be sitting alone as they say goodbye to the Duke of Edinburgh (via BBC).
The queen won't have anyone within six feet to console her as strict rules state anyone attending a funeral must stay at least two meters away from others that are not in their household. Because the royal monarch does not live on her own, she will not be eligible to be in a support bubble, sources told The Telegraph on April 13, 2021.
However, Philip's private secretary, Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, is slated to be one of the 30 attendees, and he's a member of "HMS Bubble" at Windsor Castle. Therefore, he may be the only mourner allowed — by law — to sit with Elizabeth, per the outlet.
Her Majesty won't be the only one sitting solo, however, as Prince Harry is attending the service by himself. As Buckingham Palace announced in an April 10 briefing, his wife, Meghan Markle, "has been advised by her physician not to travel" as she's pregnant with their second child (via Deadline). Prince William, on the other hand, will be with Kate Middleton, while Prince Charles will be attending with Camilla Parker Bowles.