Prince Philip’s Funeral

Lovely day for it too. I was helping a friend move today so only caught a bit of it when I returned home however the draw of my sunny garden and a much appreciated beer proved too irresistable.

I also felt that the decision by the Queen to insist upon no military dress for family members was a good one, everyone looked more appropriate and it took the focus away from those who have 'achieved' their rank through the honorary system rather than actual hard work.

All his children and grandchildren attended, not just the youngest and oldest.

730 military personnel is hardly a simple family funeral!

I,too, thought it was a beautiful,timeless ceremony. You can't put a cost on history. We can use a little bit more of the class displayed. I love tradition!

And the cost to the British taxpayer is???

Pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. An extract from a news site:

An exact cost of the funeral is yet to be released to the public, although the Queen Mother’s funeral arrangements in 2002 cost more than £5.4 million (Policing costs amounted to £4.3m and the Queen Mother’s lying-in-state came to £825,000.)

However, due to the limitations on guests due to the pandemic, and Prince Philip’s wishes for a smaller funeral (as well as not lying- in- state), the event will most likely cost much less.

If you’ve not already heard it, seek out Simon Armitage’s (Poet Laureate) Elegy to the DoE. It really doesn’t matter what you thought of the man either way, it is a wonderful piece of poetry. The better (in my humble opinion) for him delivering it in the dulcet tones of his natural accent - not unlike my own!

I used the term “simple” as tongue-in-cheek humor. It was stated on television that due to Covid and Prince Phillip’s wishes and planning that the funeral was going to be a “simple” or basic affair. He desired a low-key, family event.

I understood your sentiment Sun Baked. Yes, it was a 'simple' affair in comparison to other royal funerals and that was part because of Covid but also because of Prince Phillip's wishes. He planned his funeral right to the last detail and I felt it was a very fitting and respectful one.

I'm pretty ambivalent towards the Royal Family but I consider more focus should be shed on the cronyism of those in our political parties where significantly more public money is misused than what was spent on the funeral of a man who spent his life serving the UK and the Commonwealth.

Slightly off the topic of the late Prince Philip, but the members of the general public gathered outside Windsor Castle l saw on TV were almost all without masks. Is the UK not recommending masks when people are unable to distance 2 metres apart?

They are. But with the easing of lockdown many believe that it is all over and eschew the advised precautions, forgetting both manners and responsibility in the process. Or put simply, idiocy is not the monopoly of other countries. I can’t help thinking that if cases start to spike again these will be the first people to complain about stricter precautions being imposed. For what it is worth I don’t think there will be another national lockdown, but tighter rules may be applied on a local level.

I like the Queen, Charles, and William, so it's win-win as far as I'm concerned.

Phillip has inspired me with his oft-repeated quip, "Well, get on with it."

I even like Prime Minister Johnson, who comes across as articulate and well-educated, and a bit of a scamp.

I'm one of the ambivalent ones about the royal family. But today when I looked at the Queen, I saw a very old woman at her husband's funeral, who is deserving of our compassion.

Beautiful funeral.
JC said it best, "The funeral of a man who spent his life serving the UK and the Commonwealth."

The Queen has also spent her life serving the UK and the Commonwealth.
As Estimated Prophet said, today she was a very old woman at her husband's funeral, who is deserving of our compassion.
Today she buried the person who had been her constant companion, advisor and husband for 73 years.
If that is not enough to bring a tear to your eye for her, your heart is made of stone.

Rest in peace, Prince Philip.

And let's not forget the legacy of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, a scheme that has improved and transformed the lives of countless young people, a value that far outweighs the relatively modest cost to the public purse of his funeral.

But today when I looked at the Queen, I saw a very old woman at her
husband's funeral, who is deserving of our compassion.

My sentiments exactly. It was so sad to see her having to sit all alone without even one of her children close by to offer comfort. Taking the crown/duty out of it, she's a very small, very old lady - 95 this week - who had just lost her companion of 73 years. My God. How many of us will achieve that sort of longevity, to have any hope of facing, with dignity and grace, on their own two feet, what she did today?

I respect the queen. She walked by herself without a cane or any assistance at the funeral. She seemed to maintain “queen mode” the entire time. I noticed her children were not sitting next to her. The seating arrangement was by design. I am sure there was a ceremonial reason for this. I also noticed that the cameras cut away from the casket as it was removed.

I appreciate a ceremony without extraneous chit-chat. It was concise which enhanced the event. I think the royal family did keep it simple. Windsor Castle was a great choice both for location and security. The royal family did set a sincere, respectful, understated tone rather than self-indulgence. Onward!

Another WW II warrior gone. We haven't had one of those in the White House since George Bush Sr.

I too was struck with the picture of the Queen sitting all alone during the service. I would hate to believe that this Wonderful Woman was not able to receive hugs, kisses, tears and all the closeness that regular families would at this sad time. Or is Royal Protocol still in force behind closed doors? Thanks.

I've had the impression that the family isn't especially demonstrative, especially in public. Emma and others of you from across the pond, your impressions?

I agree with Emma when she said: "I thought the funeral was lovely, particularly the music."

There was a video of the funeral on YouTube The Royal Family's channel, for two days following the funeral, but it is now marked "Private" and is no longer accessible. That's too bad, because the music before the casket comes out is excellent.
I was going to post a link to it here, but now, there's no point in that.
At 3:15 in that YouTube video was the hymn "Jerusalem", and at 6:22 there was Sir Edward Elgar's "Nimrod", which was the final piece before the casket was brought out.

Using other sources for two of the best pieces, here are some links.
Two of my favorites were used.
"Jerusalem" by Will­iam Blake and Charles H. H. Par­ry; as performed at the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yIWBO_7nio
A happy day, and Prince Philip is seen @ 1:15.

Sir Edward Elgar: "Nimrod":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhnMd1Jl7SA
These 2 links are posted so that others can enjoy these 2 pieces.

Additional pieces of music were used, which were all very well done.
The music inside St. George's Chapel was amazing.

We know that Prince Philip planned his funeral, down to the last detail, including choosing the music.
Which made it all the more touching to hear the music during the funeral service.
My heartfelt sympathies for the Queen and all she has had to endure in the last few weeks.

For anyone who wants more Elgar, here it is:
Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance-March No.1 (Land of Hope and Glory)(Last night of the Proms 2012):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvgl_2JRIUs

And yet another rousing version of Jerusalem, with a very well done "God Save The Queen":
Jerusalem, Proms 2012 & God Save the Queen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=041nXAAn714

I think it is fitting to close with "God Save The Queen".

If you want to know about the plans for when the Queen goes this is a fascinating article.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge

It will be an event on a scale none of us has ever experienced.

Emma, thanks for that information. All very interesting. You are the very best, always with good information. Thank you.

ramblin' on, thanks. Interesting article; lots of detail. Very sad to think about that time.