Led by the Dean of Windsor, a coffin processes slowly through St George’s Chapel with a grieving son and daughter walking immediately behind; a small congregation, led by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family, watch from their seats in the Quire.
That was the scene at Windsor Castle more than half a century back. And the dutiful son that day was Prince Philip.
Much has been made of the fact the Duke of Edinburgh planned every last detail of Saturday’s funeral – as he most certainly did. But he had been there before. On December 10, 1969, he came to say farewell to his mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, with his elder sister, Princess Margarita, at his side.
The Wigan soldier who was chosen to drive hearse at Prince Philip s funeral
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Atherton soldier drove Duke s Land Rover hearse
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For a man like no other, it was a funeral like no other.
From the Land Rover that carried his coffin, to the sounding of Action Stations as he was lowered into the crypt, there was no mistaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s hand in every detail.
The one thing he did not anticipate was having to make allowances for a pandemic, but he would have been proud, as ever, of his wife of 73 years as the Queen, a study in stoicism, said her own silent farewell, battling through without anyone by her side.
Inside St George’s Chapel the ceremony was stripped down and subdued by the strict lockdown regulations, but outside, on the Duke s final journey through Windsor Castle, he was allowed a military presence befitting his stature.