PRINCE Philip’s funeral service will include a subtle nod to Princess Diana with a traditional song.
The duke’s funeral will be held at Windsor Castle today after he died last week aged 99.
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Details of the funeral were released today, including that Rhosymedre by Vaughn Williams will be sung during the service.
The emotional and traditional British folk song is a subtle nod to his daughter-in-law, as it was also played at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.
It was also played at the weddings of Prince Harry and Prince William.
Philip and Diana shared a special bond as he strived to make her feel accepted into the Royal Family.
Prince Philip signed his letters to Princess Diana “with fondest love, Pa”.
Philip made an extra effort to welcome Diana after she married Prince Charles in 1981.
When Diana’s marriage to Charles began to fail he started writing to his daughter-in-law and became a self-confessed “marriage counsellor”.
The notes exchanged between the two royals lasted from June, 1992 until Diana and Charles’s split in December, 1992.
Former former Royal butler Paul Burrell has claimed the duke “did more trying to save Charles’ marriage to Diana than his son.”
The Duke of Edinburgh is said to have urged Charles to marry the young Lady Diana Spencer.
Philip often sat next to Diana at formal dinners in Balmoral and would engage her in conversation.
He is said to have confided to a friend that he and the Queen had “the highest hopes” for Charles and Diana, before trying to help with her disintegrating marriage to his eldest son.
In the frank exchange of letters between the duke and princess, which came to light at Diana’s inquest after her death, Philip referred to himself and the Queen as “Pa and Ma”.
Diana carried on calling the Queen ‘Ma-ma’, and Philip ‘Pa’ until she died in 1997.
Phillip reportedly picked up on Diana’s concerns about Camilla Parker Bowles within a year of her marriage to Charles.
It comes as:
And now, Prince Philip will today be farewelled after his seven decades of service to the nation and the monarch.
Philip’s “unwavering loyalty” to the Queen and “courage, fortitude and faith” will be hailed at his funeral.
The 99-year-old will now be laid to rest at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Saturday afternoon, with the Royal Family gathering to bid farewell to the Queen’s “rock”.
Prince Harry has returned from the US to be with his family, with just 30 mourners allowed to attend the service due to Covid.
However despite the restrictions, the funeral will still follow Prince Philip’s wishes – and hail his “courage, fortitude and faith”.
The Queen will also pause at his coffin to bid her husband of more than seven decades farewell as he is laid to rest.
No members of the Royal Family will read lessons or give readings at the funeral and there will be no eulogy.
Her Majesty will also be sitting alone during the funeral due to strict coronavirus rules.
Members of the Royal Family will have to be at least two metres apart during the service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Saturday.
No sermon will be delivered during the ceremonial royal service, in keeping with Philip’s wishes, while his body will be taken to the funeral in a Land Rover he helped to design.
His love of the sea and long association with the Royal Navy permeates the Order of Service, which has been released by Buckingham Palace ahead of Saturday’s proceedings.
Music chosen by the duke includes the hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” – traditionally associated with seafarers and the maritime armed services.
Prince Harry and William won’t stand together at the funeral and will separated by their cousin Peter Phillips.
It was believed the brothers would be stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they followed their grandad’s coffin to the service.
But Harry and William will instead be separated by Peter Phillips at the request of the Queen.
