Prince Philip’s funeral has officially been scheduled, and Prince Harry has RSVP’d. According to a report by The Associated Press, the service will be held at Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17. Prince Harry will fly back to the U.K. to pay his respects to the late Duke of Edinburgh, though Meghan Markle will remain at home because of her pregnancy.
Prince Philip passed away on Friday, April 9, at the age of 99. He reportedly took part in the planning of his own funeral before his passing, and the ceremony has been designed in accordance with his wishes. Prince Harry will attend the service with the rest of the royal family, though his wife Markle has been advised not to fly by her doctor. A palace spokesperson described the funeral plans and the COVID-19 precautions that have been taken.
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“Although the ceremonial arrangements are reduced, the occasion will still celebrate and recognize the duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the UK and the Commonwealth,” they said. “While there is sadness that the public will not be able to physically be part of events to commemorate the life of the duke, the royal family asks that anyone wishing to express their condolences do so in the safest way possible and not by visiting Windsor or any other royal palaces to pay their respects. The family’s wish is very much that people continue to follow the guidelines to keep themselves and others safe.”
Prince Harry and Markle stepped back from royal duties last year, opting to move out of Buckingham Palace and pursue other career options. They now reside in southern California, where they gave a tell-all interview about their royal departure last month. In the 85-minute talk with Oprah Winfrey, the couple described experiencing racism, mental health struggles and other issues while living at the palace, without implicating any of their family members by name. No accusations were leveled against Prince Philip.
Prince Philip was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who has been the monarch of the United Kingdom since 1952. He was born into the royal families of both Greece and Denmark, though they were exiled from those countries when he was a baby. Philip grew up in France, Germany and the U.K., and then enlisted in the British Royal Navy in 1939.
It is still unclear whether Prince Philip’s funeral will be televised, but either way, the ceremony is sure to have people at home remembering him. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 in Windsor, England.
