APRIL 15, 2021
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall made a poignant outing to see the public’s tributes to Prince Philip, who died last Friday at the age of 99.
The couple visited the gardens of Marlborough House in London on Thursday to view flowers and messages of condolence that were left by members of the public outside Buckingham Palace for Prince Philip.
As Prince Charles, 72, took in the tributes to his father — including a bench decorated with handmade cards and artwork, a toy Land Rover (the duke’s favorite British-made vehicle) and thousands of bouquets — he appeared emotional. Camilla, 73, also appeared to be wiping away tears.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
Prince Charles. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
Tributes to Prince Philip. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
In a video message released on Saturday, Charles said that he believed his father “would have been amazed” by the outpouring of love and support.
“My dear Papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that,” the eldest child of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth said. “It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time.”
The Prince of Wales pays tribute to The Duke of Edinburgh on behalf of The Royal Family. pic.twitter.com/tDP0rkKGzc
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) April 10, 2021
Prince Philip’s funeral will be held on Saturday at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duke of Edinburgh will be laid to rest surrounded only by close family members and friends.
“Ironically, it is probably how he would have liked,” former palace spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “No fuss, no bother. Right through his life, he never knew what all the fuss was about.”
Saturday’s service will be known as a ceremonial royal funeral and not a state funeral, which is generally reserved for monarchs. The funeral plans take into account the country’s COVID guidelines and are “much reduced in scale with no public access,” a palace spokesman announced over the weekend.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
Tributes to Prince Philip. – Jeremy Selwyn – WPA Pool/Getty
The funeral will take place entirely within the grounds of Windsor Castle and plans have been given final approval by the Queen but they “still very much reflect the personal wishes of the Duke. The occasion will still celebrate and recognize the Duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the U.K. and the Commonwealth.”
Prince Philip and Prince Charles. – Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Prince Philip is currently lying at rest at Windsor Castle. On the day of the funeral, at around 2:40 p.m in the U.K. (9:40 a.m. ET) on April 17, Philip’s coffin will be moved in a small ceremonial procession from the state entrance to the castle to the chapel. The funeral will begin with a nationally-observed minute’s silence at 10 a.m. E.T.
Courtesy/Source: People
