Prince Philip funeral: Kylie Minogue, Liam Payne and Piers Morgan pay tribute

Kylie Minogue led the celebrity tributes as the nation prepares to bid a fond farewell to Prince Philip ahead of his funeral on Saturday. 

The Duke Of Edinburgh passed away at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April aged 99.  

The singer, 52, described it as ‘an honour’ to meet Prince Philip during a private audience at the castle back in 2017. 

At the time of their meeting, Kylie described the Duke as ‘charm personified’ and said they had a ‘good old chat’. 

Taking to Twitter, Kylie shared two photos during the event, with the songstress looking lovely in a floaty floral gown as she stood alongside Prince Philip. 

In the other, Kylie laughed as she inspected a frame with the Duke. 

Special moment: The singer, 52, described it as ‘an honour’ to meet Prince Philip during a private audience at the castle back in 2017

Moving: Piers Morgan also paid tribute to the Duke and wrote ‘Thinking of The Queen today as she says goodbye to the love of her life’

She captioned the post: ‘RIP HRH Prince Philip. What an honour it was to meet at Windsor Castle.’ 

Piers Morgan also paid tribute to the Duke as he shared a photo of the Queen walking alongside Prince Philip, alongside a recreation of the photo taken years later into their marriage. 

He wrote: ‘Thinking of The Queen today as she says goodbye to the love of her life.’   

Tens of millions of people in Britain and around the world will be watching the most important royal funeral since the Queen Mother died in 2002. 

The event, pared back because of the pandemic, was overseen by Philip for at least 20 years before his death.

Her Majesty is determined to ensure it reflects his ‘unwavering loyalty’ to her during their 73-year marriage and her 68-year reign on the throne as well his lifetime of service to the UK and the Commonwealth in his 99-year life.   

Farewell: Tens of millions will be watching the most important royal funeral since the Queen Mother died in 2002. Pictured,  The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery on Saturday morning 

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. However, it appears hundreds have defied the warnings and gathered to pay their respects in Windsor despite the risk of fines or even arrest.

People who knew Philip best have said he would be pleased about the smaller crowds because he always demanded ‘no fuss’ in the event of his death.  

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’. 

Wonderful marriage: On Friday 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