Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom has revealed a list of thirty people who will attend the funeral of the late Prince Philip on Saturday, due to Covid-19 restrictions preventing a large gathering. According to the British newspaper "Daily Mail," the list includes several relatives of the late prince and his grandchildren, as well as his close friend Penny Brabourne. Buckingham Palace noted that Queen Elizabeth II had to make difficult decisions when selecting only a small group of attendees due to the pandemic. The queen ensured representation from all branches of the late prince's family at the funeral, which was not easy amid the outbreak.
Only dozens, out of hundreds of people, were chosen to attend the symbolic farewell for the prince, who passed away on April 9 at the age of 99. Three of Prince Philip's German relatives will attend the funeral, which holds significant symbolism because they were unable to attend Philip's wedding due to the stigma against Germans in the post-World War II era caused by Nazism.
Queen Elizabeth, widow of the late prince and his wife for 73 years, will be among the first to attend the funeral, which will take place at St George's Chapel on Saturday. The queen stated that her husband's passing has left a "huge void" in her life, but she plans to return to her activities and commitments immediately after the end of the royal mourning period on April 22.
The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, will attend his father's funeral, having last seen him on March 23, maintaining contact via phone thereafter. He will be accompanied by his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, will attend alongside his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. Prince Harry will also attend the funeral, but his wife will not be present as she cannot travel from California to the UK due to her current pregnancy.
