Prince Andrew today walked behind Philip’s hearse in a suit after the Queen denied his demand to wear an Admiral’s uniform for the funeral.
The monarch took control earlier this week and decreed that none of the royal guests would be in military dress after her middle son caused a stir.
But the Duke of York, who served in the Navy and fought in the Falklands War, did have his military medals pinned to his chest like the other members of the procession.
Today’s funeral at Windsor Castle for his father is the most visible the Duke of York has been for more than a year.
His television tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh last week was the first time he has spoken publicly in 512 days after stepping down from royal duties following the disastrous Newsnight interview about Jeffrey Epstein.
But reports quickly emerged that he was planning to attend the ceremony at Windsor Castle as an Admiral and even asked his tailor to start stitching the rank.
Prince Andrew today walked behind Philip’s hearse in a suit after the Queen denied his demand to wear an Admiral’s uniform for the funeral
Prince Andrew today arrived in Windsor for Philip’s funeral in a suit after the Queen denied his demand to wear an Admiral’s uniform
But the Duke of York, who served in the Navy and fought in the Falklands War, did have his military medals pinned to his chest like the other members of the procession
Preparing to walking in the procession behind his father’s hearse, the funeral is the most visible the Duke of York has been for more than a year
It raised eyebrows as, although serving in the Royal Navy, Andrew never reached the rank of Admiral.
His last serving rank was Lietenant-Commander, which was raised to Commander when he left active service in 2005.
Under a Navy policy, he received a promotion every five years meaning he was promoted to Honorary Captain in 2005, Rear Admiral in 2010 and Vice Admiral in 2015.
Andrew was due to be made an Admiral on his 60th birthday last year but asked if this could be deferred until he returned to frontline royal duties – which he has not.
The Queen’s ruling that everyone would wear suits is also thought to spare Prince Harry’s blushes.
After quitting life as a senior royal and moving to California, the Duke of Sussex, who served in the Army, was forced to give up his honorary military positions and associations.
Prince William is seen wearing his suit as he leaves Kensington Palace heading to Windsor
Prince Charles arrives at Windsor Castle for the funeral of his father Prince Philip
The funeral itself is steeped in military tradition and will feature many servicemen and women after Philip requested a military, and not state, funeral.
But former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter this week said the Queen ‘put her foot down’ so everyone would be dressed the same.
He said: ‘There has been this that Harry, not entitled to wear a uniform, he walked out of the royal family and then walked out of royal life.
‘When he got married in 2018 he actually had to ask the Queen permission that he could wear his uniform to wear dress uniform at his wedding. When you leave the service, you can’t just put your uniform on, it’s the gift of the Queen to say yay or nay.
‘As for Andrew, well he was effectively fired for that disastrous Newsnight interview justifying his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, so he was not entitled to wear that uniform either.
‘It’s a bit like school: you can’t have some people in one thing and others in another, so the Queen put her foot down and decided everyone’s going to be the same.’
Andrew was due to walk in the second row of the procession adjacent to his brother Prince Edward, and behind Price Charles and Princess Anne in the first row.
His daughters Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice – and their husbands – are also among the 30 handpicked guests.
Andrew was due to walk in the second row of the procession adjacent to his brother Prince Edward, and behind Price Charles and Princess Anne in the first row
Last week, after his father died aged 99, Andrew said the Queen was ‘feeling it, I think, probably more than everybody else’, calling her ‘incredibly stoic’.
In a piece to camera he said: ‘She described it as having left a huge void in her life. But we – the family, the ones that are closer – are rallying round to make sure that we’re there to support her, and I know there is a huge amount of support not just for her but for everybody as we go through this enormous change.’
The grieving Prince of Wales, who shed tears for his late father when viewing tributes left at Buckingham Palace this week, looked sombre in a black mask as he was driven into his mother’s Berkshire home.
His wife Camilla arrived separately just as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who was wearing the Queen’s pearls, left Kensington Palace. Zara Tindall and his husband Mike arrived at the castle shortly afterwards followed by other grandchildren including Princess Beatrice and spouse Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
At a sunny Windsor Castle, deserted with no crowds allowed, the quadrangle was packed with bands playing the prince’s favourite songs and hymns including Jerusalem as his extraordinary Land Rover hearse arrived flanked by senior officers from the duke’s regiments.
The Cambridges are set to see Prince Harry for the first time in a year after the brothers fell out over Megxit and the Sussexes extraordinary and damaging Oprah interview.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s insignia, Field Marshal’s baton, RAF wings and decorations from Denmark and Greece resting on cushions have been placed on the altar of St George’s Chapel to mark the passing of the ‘grandfather of the nation’.
Members of the military march ahead of the funeral service at Prince Philip’s Windsor home
The Foot Guards Band are seen marching as the world remembers the extraordinary 99-year life of Philip