THE mournful Queen looked out on her “saddest day” as she prepared to bury her beloved husband of 73 years.
Her Majesty, 94, will say a final farewell to the Duke of Edinburgh, who stood by her side for seven decades of unwavering service.
Read our Prince Philip funeral live blog for the latest updates
As the funeral began the nation came to a halt to observe a minute’s silence in memory of the duke who died a few months short of his 100th birthday.
The Queen arrived to the funeral wearing all black as the nation united in grief to honour Britain’s longest serving consort.
She travelled to the service in a Bentley with trusted lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey – with both wearing facemasks.
Cutting a solitary figure at the front of the quire in St George’s Chapel, nearest the altar, the Queen sat apart from her children. She will sit alone during the service.
There was also a space left beside her where her husband of 73-years the duke would have sat.
A powerful image showed the sombre royal sat alone in the vast chapel after losing her loyal husband last Friday.
She paused at his coffin to bid goodbye to her beloved husband of 73 years before continuing alone as Queen for the first time in her reign.
It comes as:
It came after the Prince of Wales and Princess Royal led senior royals in walking behind their father’s coffin the short distance from the castle to St George’s Chapel.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was carried on a custom-built Land Rover Defender hearse designed by the duke and modified over 16 years.
The Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Wessex and her children Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor watched on mournfully as the hearse passed.
Kate Middleton was dressed all in black with a netted veil covering her face mask. She is also wearing a stunning pearl necklace belonging to the Queen and drop earrings.
The necklace was also worn by Princess Diana in a touching nod to her late mother-in-law.
Meanwhile William looked sombre in a black suit and black tie, teamed with a face mask.
His dad Prince Charles was pictured in a Tesla arriving at Windsor Castle with wife Camilla.
Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have also been driven to meet with the family ahead of the funeral.
The proceedings started at 11am today when his coffin was moved from the private chapel to the Inner Hall of Windsor Castle.
Philip’s casket is covered with his personal standard along with his sword, naval cap and a wreath of flowers.
The coffin was moved by the Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, where Philip was a colonel for 42 years.
From there, Philip will be placed in the modified military green Land Rover he spent 16 years adapting to take him on his final journey.
The national anthem will then ring out as the Queen – joined by a Lady-in-Waiting – is taken in a Bentley to St George’s Chapel.
At 2.45pm, the Band of the Grenadier Guards, followed by the Major General commanding the Household Division, will then lead the procession.
Different groups will then follow the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin through the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Philip’s children, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Prince Charles will form one group.
Prince William and Harry have been separated during the eight-minute procession by their cousin Peter Phillips at the request of the Queen.
There had been speculation the brothers would be stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they followed their grandad’s coffin.
All eyes will be on Harry and Wills, who will come face-to-face for the first time since the former left the UK for a new life in California.
A national minute’s silence will take place at 3pm before the 50-minute service honouring Philip’s 70-plus years of duty to the Queen and country begins.
Buglers from the Royal Marines will sound Action Stations to reflect Philip’s life-long association with the Royal Navy.
The song is played on a warship to signal all hands should go to battle stations and is sometimes featured at the funerals of naval men.
Philip’s funeral has been peppered with touching nods to his military service.
There will be a touching Navy send-off before his coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault.
Music chosen by the duke includes the hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” – traditionally associated with seafarers and the maritime armed services.
But none of the Royal Family will wear military uniforms and instead will don morning coat with medals or day dress after fears Prince Harry would be the only male senior royal dressed differently.
The event will be different to any other royal funeral after Covid made the family strip back all tradition.
Just 30 mourners will be in attendance to honour Britain’s longest-serving consort.
Among them are his four children and all his grandchildren and their spouses – including William, Harry, Eugenie and Beatrice.
Three of Philip’s German relatives – Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden; Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg – are among the attendees.
The trio are great-nephews and a cousin of Philip – with the duke making it clear he wanted his “blood” family to be included in his funeral arrangements.
The stripped back guestlist means a couple of mourners expected to be included have been left off.
This includes Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and Philip’s private secretary Archie Miller-Bakewell.
Meghan Markle is also not attending as she is pregnant and none of Philip’s ten great-grandchildren will be there as they are too young.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen faced “some very difficult” decisions as she selected the 30 guests from the original 800 mourners.
Under further Covid rules, all those entering the chapel will wear a face mask and all members of the Royal Family will be seated two metres apart.
But the funeral will still follow Prince Philip’s wishes – and hail his “courage, fortitude and faith”.
The Dean of Windsor, in the Bidding, will also pay tribute to Philip’s “kindness, humour and humanity.”
“With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us,” he will say of Philip, who died aged 99 last Friday.
“We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith.
“Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humour and humanity.”
