Prince Philip funeral: Dawn breaks over Windsor as Queen prepares to bid farewell to husband

A golden glow fell over the grounds of Windsor Castle this morning as dawn broke on the day HRH Prince Philip will be laid to rest. 

The eyes of the world will be on the royal residence today as the Queen says her final goodbye to the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 73 years.

In pre-pandemic times thousands of mourners would have travelled to the Berkshire town to pay their respects, but the Royal Family, the Government and police are asking the public to stay away.

Early this morning members of the armed forces, police, security and the media were taking up positions around the castle ahead of this afternoon’s ceremony.

While much of the typical pageantry has been pared back, Buckingham Palace says the funeral will still reflect Philip’s life of service and the plans he himself spent years fine-tuning. 

Right down to the bespoke Land Rover hearse to carry his own coffin, the event – code-named Operation Forth Bridge – will be executed with military precision, leading up to the 3pm service at St George’s Chapel. 

The first glimpses inside the chapel shows the Duke’s insignia, Field Marshal’s baton, RAF wings and decorations from Denmark and Greece resting on cushions at the altar.

The Queen, 94, will say a private farewell to her husband, who she once called her ‘strength and stay’, before his body is driven to the chapel tailed by a small procession including Philip’s four children and three grandsons. 

Sources say she has been the ‘epitome of dignity’ this week, and the Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to her ‘extraordinary dignity and courage’.

Justin Welby, who will praise Philip’s ‘life of service to the nation and Commonwealth’ at the service, added that he hoped the nation prayed for her and ‘hope for her to find strength in what must be an anguished moment’. 

The Dean of Windsor, in the Bidding, will commemorate his ‘unwavering loyalty to our Queen’ and ‘his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith’

It was a crisp Spring day at Windsor this morning, with sunshine forecast for most of the day.  

Signs have been erected around the town urging members of the public to stay away from Windsor and other royal residences. 

Police patrols have been stepped up to enforce Covid rules, which ban large gatherings.  

Marshals have also been drafted in to help and were seen trooping through the town in high-vis jackets. 

As with all royal events, there was tight security and police divers were pictured searching a drain near the grounds, while snipers kept watch on rooftops. 

Reporters were struck by how quiet Windsor was this morning, drawing contrast with past major events such as Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding when the streets were filled with royal fans waving flags. 

A police sergeant told MailOnline: ‘It certainly looks like the Royal Family and Prince Phillip have been given the upmost respect.

‘Its 9am and I haven’t talked to one person who has come here to be at the castle today. I think people realise they’re better off at home watching the funeral on television.’

Trains into Windsor from Waterloo and Paddington were empty. A member of the station staff said: ‘Whenever there is a Royal occasion here, you get people sleeping overnight and certainly by 9am every train is packed.

‘Today there hasn’t been a single person who has passed through here to stand outside the castle.’

Local Alicia Evans, 48, who was walking her dog along the iconic Long Walk this morning was one of the few in the area.

She said: ‘If people are staying away then all I can say is good heavens for that.

‘It’s a private funeral with only 30 Royal mourners. This is not one of those occasions where we want to see union flags and bunting.

‘It’s a very sad day and I hope most of the public remember Philip at home in their thoughts and watch the funeral on television.’

A visible armed forces presence was on display, reflecting the Duke’s wishes for a military rather than a state funeral.

Philip served with distinction as a Naval officer in the Second World War and had association with all forces while the Queen’s consort.  

The duke’s coffin, draped in his personal standard and bearing his naval cap, sword and a wreath of flowers, will first be seen at 2.41pm today when it emerges from the State Entrance to Windsor Castle carried by a bearer party from The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. 

Lieutenant Erica Bridge of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery said Philip’s affection for the armed forces would weigh heavily on the servicemen and women on duty.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today progamme: ‘What is absolutely key to today is that the day is very much in line with the Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes. 

‘And that’s a really important thing to those people out there today – knowing that the Duke wanted them to be there and representing those units he had a very close affiliation with.’ 

Admiral Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord, added: ‘It is (a naval send-off at the Duke’s funeral) but I think it is much bigger than that.

‘I really do think that for all of us in the military, today is about a royal funeral and it is about playing our part in that, but it is for the Royal Air Force, the British Army and the Royal Navy, and to reflect our dignity and respect and the affection we all had for Prince Philip, and the very clear affection that he had for all of us.’

General Sir Patrick Sanders, Commander of Strategic Command, who has met the duke several times and was at the rehearsal, said viewers can expect a highly moving funeral.

He told BBC Breakfast: ‘I was standing at the rehearsal yesterday and you hear those first notes of Nimrod, and the hairs go up at the back of your neck, you get a lump in your throat.

‘It’s difficult to stifle a tear as you think about the duke and the impact on the royal family and the whole nation – and you stand there a little stiffer, a little straighter, determined to do right by him.’

Royal biographer and Daily Mail columnist Robert Hardman said the funeral plan ‘very much reflects the man’.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today, Mr Hardman said: ‘It is reduced but I don’t think it is any way diminished – the core elements are there.’

He added that it would be a service that ‘very much reflects the man – very unstuffy, unfussy’.

‘You won’t hear a eulogy or any great address – it is very much what he wanted but all the way through it are those echo of his naval career which shaped him,’ Mr Hardman said. 

Some members of the public did visit Windsor this morning, including artist Kaya Mar, 65, from south east London, who took an oil painting of Philip, which he painted last week.

He said: ‘I liked him, he was a lovely family man who will be missed. He was hard-working and dedicated to this country and I think people will finally realise his value. He was a good public servant and will be missed.’ 

Mourners also started congregating a Buckingham Palace, where a massive security operation is also underway.

All surrounding roads have been closed off with dozens of police, some of them armed, on duty. Private security guards have been stationed a police helicopter hovering above.

One officer told MailOnline that they were expecting ‘thousands’ of people to arrive. He added: ‘The funeral may be in Windsor but we’re expecting a lot of people to turn up at Buckingham Palace, as they have been through the week.

‘The sun is out and people have been very moved by Philip’s death. There’s lots of media here and we have to make sure things run smoothly because the eyes of the world are on us.’ 

The first floral tribute, at Buckingham Palace was laid by Claudia, 10, who was accompanied by her mother Chesma, 40.

Chesma revealed that she and her daughter set off from their East London home shortly after 6am and had laid yellow tulips.

She said: ‘We only moved to the UK from India 10 years ago but in that time we’ve come to love the Royal family. They represent this nation and we wanted to pay our respects to Prince Philip.’

Claudia said: ‘I really wanted to come here because I feel sorry for the Queen. She’s going to miss Prince Philip a lot as we all will.’ 

Sam Welsh, 68 who laid a bunch of yellow roses said: ‘Philip was alright, he did a good job and made me laugh. I just wanted to honour his memory and pay respect to his life.

‘He was a good bloke and I’m sure we’ll all miss him but not as much as the Queen Mother, who I really loved.’

The overwhelming majority of people will watch the funeral from their homes, with the BBC, ITV and Sky all broadcasting live.

Many have decked their living rooms with union flags in tribute and shared pictures on social media this morning.  

Last night the Palace shared a touching unseen picture of the Queen with her husband, who died peacefully at the castle on Friday last week at 99.

It shows the couple at one of their ‘happy places’ – the Coyles of Muick hills close to Balmoral, where they enjoyed walking and picnics throughout their long lives together. The Queen so loves the place that she named her new corgi puppy after it.

The photograph – taken by their daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex in 2003 during one of their family summer holidays – was specially chosen by Her Majesty to share ahead of today’s funeral. 

The couple look blissfully happy and relaxed as they sit back in the heather, the Queen in her off duty Scottish dress of a woollen twinset, pearls and a tartan skirt, with Philip in country casuals and a sun hat resting on his knee. 

The Queen was seen yesterday walking her puppies Muick and Fergus, a dorgi, in the gardens at Frogmore, where her grandson Prince Harry has been quarantining after flying in from the US, leading to speculation she may have greeted him from a distance.

She is said to have been ‘stoical’ about her husband’s death, and has been personally involved in the funeral preparations, including the order that senior royals wear morning dress instead of uniforms to stop tensions over what Andrew and Harry should wear.

She even found time yesterday to talk to governor general of Australia David Hurley and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, both of whom expressed their condolences.

Lord Chartres, a former bishop of London, today said the Queen would be under ‘extraordinary pressure’ during funeral.

The retired Church of England bishop, who was understood to be close to Philip, told BBC Radio 4’s Today: ‘I hope that today people really will be sending up a prayer for the Queen and for the other members of the royal family because having to grieve in public is an extraordinary pressure and something that most of us would not really want to do.

‘But it is part of their life and their world, and I hope today, and I’m sure, that people won’t forget the personal dimension in the formal ceremonies.’ 

Covid has loomed large over the funeral, with mourners reduced from around 800 to just 30, and all guests wearing face masks and sitting apart.

Boris Johnson, who gave up his place, left a wreath for the duke outside St George’s Chapel yesterday saying the nation owes ‘more than words can say’.

All those at the socially distanced service will wear masks, including the Queen. The congregation will not be able to sing and the hymns performed by a small choir of four.

The Queen will follow her husband’s coffin on his Land Rover hearse down from the castle to the chapel in her State Bentley. The Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Conner, who will lead the service, will say of the duke: ‘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.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will pronounce the Blessing today, said it was important for people to understand the Queen was facing the day with ‘extraordinary dignity and courage’, while saying goodbye to the most important person in her life.

He added that he hoped the nation prayed for her and ‘hope for her to find strength in what must be an anguished moment’.

No sermon will be delivered during the ceremonial royal service, in keeping with Philip’s wishes. His love of the sea and long association with the Royal Navy permeates the Order of Service, with the music chosen by the duke including the hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save – traditionally associated with seafarers and the maritime armed services.  

The Prince of Wales and Princess Royal will lead the Duke of York, Earl of Wessex and other family members walking behind the duke’s coffin, carried on a Land Rover hearse he helped design, during the funeral procession which the Queen will join, travelling by car.

Royal brothers the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, who have a troubled relationship, will not walk shoulder to shoulder but with their cousin Peter Phillips between them.

Meanwhile, the Queen has been forced to ask her family not to military uniforms to save Harry’s blushes. 

Prince Andrew asked to dress as an admiral, has stuck with royal protocol and kept Peter Phillips, her eldest grandchild, at the centre of the procession between the warring brothers. 

He is being seen by royal experts as a ‘mediator’ on the day, having supported them when their mother Diana died in 1997.

Keeping Harry and William apart will be seen by some as a missed opportunity to show family unity in the wake of Prince Philip’s death. 

Others questioned whether the princes were being kept apart deliberately at their own request, but the Royal Family has refused to discuss it. 

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘This is a funeral [and] we will not be drawn into those perceptions of drama. The arrangements have been agreed and reflect Her Majesty’s wishes.’ 

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers claimed that Peter Phillips, Philip’s eldest grandson, has been deliberately chosen to help his two younger cousins find a way forward with their relationship, which has become badly strained in the past year.

He said: ‘Peter Philips was incredibly good with the boys when Diana died, so I think it will be very good for them. 

‘Sometimes I think that when people behave very well in public, which I think they will do, they find it easier to behave better in private. Prince Philip and the Queen were conciliators all their life so I’m sure that is what he would have wanted’.

Her Majesty’s youngest son Edward, his wife Sophie and their 17-year-old daughter Lady Louise nodded to well-wishers as they drove through the gates of Windsor Castle this afternoon.

The family then stopped to inspect bouquets, notes, cards and balloons left by well-wishers mourning the death of the Queen’s husband a week ago now moved to outside St George’s Chapel.

Sophie, while looking over handwritten letters from children, could be heard saying ‘how sweet’, before speaking to her husband about the huge amount of flowers. 

They walked around for about fifteen minutes before leaving.

Among them were wreaths bearing messages from Boris Johnson, Nicola Sturgeon and the Royal Navy. The couple appeared touched by the tributes.

Edward inspected the tributes 24 hours after his eldest brother Charles shed tears as he did the same at Marlborough House – the home of the Commonwealth – in central London, where floral tributes laid at the gates of Buckingham Palace are brought each evening.

A wreath from Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, saying the nation owes him ‘more than words can say’. 

The Prime Minister’s written message, laid outside St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, read: ‘In grateful memory of a man to whom the nation owes more than words can say. Sent on behalf of the nation. From the Prime Minister’.

A wreath from Nicola Sturgeon read: ‘With deepest sympathy from the First Minister of Scotland and the Scottish Government.’

The Royal Navy’s tribute read: ‘In gratitude for an exceptional life of service from all ranks of the Royal Navy. Fair winds and following seas.’ 

This morning more tributes flooded in from personal friends of the Duke.  Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan described him as a remarkable human being.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: ‘We were frequently guests at Sandringham and Balmoral, and in that context established a personal relationship

‘I remember saying to him, ‘How do I refer to you?’. He said, ‘Philip is a perfectly good name’.

‘I think I was very close to knowing the man, the human being, and in that sense I feel the privilege in having known not only an encyclopaedia of knowledge, but also an icon of human dignity.’

Former Buckingham Palace press secretary Charles Anson said: ‘The occasional jokes were often very much enjoyed by those to whom he was speaking, I think he rarely offended all that much.

‘I think Prince Philip’s way of breaking the ice of making a joke including people in a conversation, he was marvellous in that respect.

‘It was Prince Philip who introduced an informal remark and sometimes a joke, but actually when you look back on it very few people took offence, most people could see his sense of humour and knew he was well meaning.

‘He had all that energy and marvellous ideas, and he made great contribution and lightening the atmosphere whilst remaining a very serious figure.’  

‘We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen’: The order of service for the emotion-filled funeral of Prince Philip minute by minute

Prince Philip’s ‘unwavering loyalty’ to the Queen and his ‘courage, fortitude and faith’ will be put at the heart of his funeral service later today.

A reduced group of 30 friends and royal family members are set to gather at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this afternoon to mark the death of the long-standing royal, at the age of 99.  

Ahead of the 3pm funeral, an order of service, crafted personally by Prince Philip, has been released. 

It sets out the details of the 50-minute service, which will include hymns and readings chosen by the Duke. There will also be a full nod to the Prince’s naval heritage.

Philip was closely associated with the Navy for more than 80 years, having enrolled at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth aged 17. 

He served at sea during the Second World War – earning a mention in despatches for his bravery – and later held numerous honorary ranks.

Among the hymns will be the well-known Victorian hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save – a religious song sometimes known as the hymn for the Royal Navy. 

It will be sung by a choir of just four at St George’s Chapel due to Covid regulations.

The hymn is strongly associated with the Navy in the UK, but is also popular with the naval traditions of countries like the US and France.

The first verse of the hymn paints a dramatic picture of divine help needed for those who find themselves in trouble on the waters.

The stirring lyrics and music were written by two English ministers – William Whiting providing the words and John B Dykes composing the music.

Philip, a guiding force behind the arrangements for his funeral, also picked a wide range of music from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The Jubilate in C was written by Benjamin Britten at the duke’s request around 1961 and has gone on to become a staple in cathedrals and churches across the country.

Funeral guests will also hear the choir sing Psalm 104 which was set to music by guitarist and composer William Lovelady.

Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of the duke’s 75th birthday in 1996.

Before the service, a selection of music chosen by the duke will be played – Sir William Harris’s Adagio Espressivo (Sonata in A minor), Percy Whitlock’s Salix (The Plymouth Suite) and Berceuse (Op 31 No. 19) by Louis Vierne.

Bach’s choral prelude Schmucke Dich, O Liebe Seele (Adorn Yourself, O Dear Soul) BWV 654 will also be performed along with Vaughan Williams’ Rhosymedre.

The small choir of four will be conducted by the St George’s Chapel director of music James Vivian and the organ will be played by Luke Bond.

After the duke’s coffin is lowered into the royal vault a Lament will be played by a Pipe Major from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The duke was Royal Colonel of the Highlanders, 4th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The Last Post will be sounded by buglers of the Royal Marines and, after a period of silence, the Reveille will be played by the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry.

Philip served as Captain General of the Royal Marines for more than six decades and at the end of the service the buglers will sound ‘Action Stations’.

It is played on a warship to signal all hands should go to battle stations and is sometimes featured at funerals of naval men.

As the service draws to a close the Archbishop of Canterbury will pronounce the Blessing and the National Anthem will be sung by just the choir.

And, in accordance with the Duke’s wishes, the service will not contain a sermon nor a eulogy. It will also not be a state funeral – another request made by Prince Philip prior to his death.  

The service will be conducted by David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, who during the proceedings will praise Philip’s ‘kindness, humour and humanity’. 

During the service, he will say: ‘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.’

Here, ahead of the funeral, is the order of service in full, as set out by Buckingham Palace: 

ORDER OF SERVICE

All stand. The coffin is removed from the Land Rover and is carried to the West Steps, where it rests at 3pm for the one-minute National Silence.

The coffin is then carried to the catafalque in the Quire.

Members of the Royal Family who have walked in the procession are conducted to their places in the Quire.

Meanwhile, the choir sings:

THE SENTENCES

I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

John 11. 25-26

I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.

Job 19. 25-27

We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

1 Timothy 6. 7, Job 1. 21

William Croft (1678–1727)

All remain standing. The Dean of Windsor shall say:

THE BIDDING

We are here today in St George’s Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us. 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. We therefore pray that God will give us grace to follow his example, and that, with our brother Philip, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.

All sit. The choir sings:

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,

Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

O hear us when we cry to thee

For those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word

The winds and waves submissive heard,

Who walkedst on the foaming deep,

And calm amid its rage didst sleep:

O hear us when we cry to thee

For those in peril on the sea.

O sacred Spirit, who didst brood

Upon the chaos dark and rude,

Who bad’st its angry tumult cease,

And gavest light and life and peace:

O hear us when we cry to thee

For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power,

Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;

From rock and tempest, fire and foe,

Protect them whereso’er they go:

And ever let there rise to thee

Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

William Whiting (1825–78)

Melita by JB Dykes (1823–76)

Arranged by James Vivian (b 1974)

All remain seated.

THE FIRST LESSON

Ecclesiasticus 43. 11–26

Read by the Dean of Windsor

Look at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea-monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.

All remain seated as the choir sings:

THE JUBILATE

O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands:

serve the Lord with gladness,

and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.

For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:

and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:

world without end. Amen.

Benjamin Britten (1913–76), in C

Written for St George’s Chapel, Windsor at the request of The Duke of Edinburgh

All remain seated.

THE SECOND LESSON

John 11. 21–27

Read by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.’

All remain seated as the choir sings:

Psalm 104

The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady.

Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness’s 75th Birthday.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,

In majesty and honour clothed;

The earth he made will not be moved,

The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

The waters rise above the highest mountain,

And flow down to the vales and leas;

At springs, wild asses quench their thirst,

And birds make nest amid the trees.

The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour,

The fir tree is a home for storks;

Wild goats find refuge in the hills,

From foes the conies shelter in the rocks.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,

In majesty and honour clothed;

The earth he made will not be moved,

The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

O Lord, how manifold is your creation,

All things in wisdom you provide;

You give your riches to the earth,

And to the sea so great and wide.

You take your creatures’ breath and life is ended,

Your breath goes forth and life begins;

Your hand renews the face of earth,

Your praise my whole life I will sing.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,

In majesty and honour clothed;

The earth he made will not be moved,

The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

Words from Psalm 104, adapted by Sam Dyer (b 1945)

William Lovelady (b 1945), abridged and arranged for choir and organ by James Vivian (b 1974) with the composer’s permission

The choir sings:

THE LESSER LITANY

Let us pray.

All sit or kneel.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

But deliver us from evil. Amen.

THE RESPONSES

Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord.

For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Grant unto him eternal rest.

And let light perpetual shine upon him.

We believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord.

In the land of the living.

O Lord, hear our prayer.

And let our cry come unto thee.

William Smith (1603-45), adapted by Roger Judd, MVO (b 1944)

The Lord’s Prayer, Music by Robert Stone (1516-1613) from John Day’s Certaine Notes 1565

THE COLLECT

The Dean of Windsor shall say:

O merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us by his Holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him: We meekly beseech thee, O Father that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come ye blessed children of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful Father through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O eternal God, before whose face the generations rise and pass away, thyself unchanged, abiding, we bless thy holy name for all who have completed their earthly course in thy faith and following, and are now at rest; we remember before thee this day Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, rendering thanks unto thee – for his resolute faith and loyalty, for his high sense of duty and integrity, for his life of service to the Nation and Commonwealth, and for the courage and inspiration of his leadership. To him, with all the faithful departed, grant thy peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Dean of Windsor, Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, shall say:

O Lord, who didst give to thy servant Saint George grace to lay aside the fear of man, and to be faithful even unto death: Grant that we, unmindful of worldly honour, may fight the wrong, uphold thy rule, and serve thee to our lives’ end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God save our gracious Sovereign and all the Companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of The Garter. Amen.

O God of the spirits of all flesh, we praise thy holy name for thy servant Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has left us a fair pattern of valiant and true knighthood; grant unto him the assurance of thine ancient promise that thou wilt ever be with those who go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters. And we beseech thee that, following his good example and strengthened by his fellowship, we may at the last, together with him, be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O Lord God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory; through him, who for the finishing of thy work laid down his life, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort: Deal graciously, we pray thee, with those who mourn; that casting every care on thee they may know the consolation of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All sit as the choir sings:

THE ANTHEM

Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints:

where sorrow and pain are no more;

neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man:

And we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return.

For so thou didst ordain, when thou createdest me, saying,

Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

All we go down to the dust; and, weeping, o’er the grave,

we make our song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Russian Kontakion of the Departed

Translated William John Birkbeck (1859–1916)

Kiev Melody, arranged by Sir Walter Parratt, KCVO (1841–1924)

All stand.

As the coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor shall say:

THE COMMENDATION

Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul,

In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee;

In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee;

In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengtheneth thee;

May thy portion this day be in peace,

and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.

All remain standing. Garter Principal King of Arms proclaims:

THE STYLES AND TITLES OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustrious and most Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon whom had been conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, One of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Husband of Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, whom may God preserve and bless with long life, health and honour and all worldly happiness.

Thereafter, the Pipe Major of The Royal Regiment of Scotland plays:

A LAMENT

The Buglers of the Royal Marines sound.

THE LAST POST

After a period of silence the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry sound.

REVEILLE

The Buglers of the Royal Marines sound.

ACTION STATIONS

Then the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounces:

THE BLESSING

All remain standing as the choir sings:

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

God save our gracious Queen,

Long live our noble Queen,

God save The Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us,

God save The Queen!

All remain standing in their places as Her Majesty The Queen, members of the Royal Family and members of the Duke of Edinburgh’s family leave the Chapel via the Galilee Porch escorted by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Music after the service

Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel, will play Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546, Johann Sebastian Bach.