Queen’s special relationship with Prince Andrew proven once again as she seats him in prime spot for Philip funeral

PRINCE Andrew has been given prime position for his father’s funeral and will be sitting closest to The Queen.

The Duke of York has been positioned nearest to the Queen of all her children at the socially distanced ceremony at St George’s Chapel. 

Read our Prince Philip funeral live blog for the latest updates

Andrew is sitting alongside Her Majesty inside of the chapel in Windsor, as Charles and Camilla are across the aisle. 

The Duke, long rumoured to be The Queen’s favourite child, is her second-born son and sits adjacent to the Prince of Wales in the chapel due to where they are in the line of succession.  

Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are sitting opposite the Queen closest to the high altar, with the Countess of Wessex, Lady Mountbatten Windsor, Prince Edward and Viscount Severn behind them. 

Princess Anne took her place behind him and adjacent to the Wessex’s with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took their seats on the left of the chapel, with Prince Harry sitting opposite them. 

It comes as:

• Harry and William will be reunited before the funeral for the first time in a year
• Meghan Markle is going to watch the service on a live stream from the US
• The funeral will be scaled-back due to Covid but the duke’s personality is peppered throughout
• The full route his coffin will take on his final journey has been revealed
• A ring of steel has been placed around Windsor as cops search drains and comb the river 
• Senior royals including Prince William have started arriving at Windsor Castle 

The rest of the 30 guests have been seated to the left of the Prince of Wales and behind the rest of the Royal Family. 

It comes after reports that the Duke of York hopes that the funeral will help to fuel his comeback to public life. 

Andrew has been kept out of the public eye ever since his car-crash interview with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. 

But he spoke publicly for the first time last week to pay tribute to his father and “grandfather of the nation.”

It is claimed that he spoke out because he has become more confident that he will be able to return to some of his royal duties in future. 

The Duke of York believes that Brits will sympathise after seeing the more human side of him during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral today. 

Andrew has reportedly insisted on taking a full role during the funeral preparations and it has been said he will use his status as the Queen’s favourite son to support her behind-the-scenes.