The royals outpouring of grief for Prince Philip signals a shift in the monarchy s approach to emotion, according to a royal expert.
While a tear rolled down Prince Charles cheek during his father Prince Philip s funeral on Saturday afternoon as he followed the Duke of Edinburgh s coffin, Her Majesty looked grief-stricken and bowed her head in reverence as she said her final farewells to her husband, who died aged 99, last Friday.
Nigel Cawthorne, author of I Know I Am Rude but I Like It: Prince Philip’s Life in His Own Words, claimed that Prince Philip himself would not countenance public displays of affection.
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Premium Content  Prince Philip s laying to rest will not change the official royal status of his son Prince Charles. But it will alter the dynamic of the royal household, with expectations the heir to the throne and now family patriarch will fill the void the Queen noted had been created in her life by the death of her husband. The Queen had always planned to step further back from duties when she turned 95 later this week, but the duke s death will sharpen the handover rate. And while Charles may have been prepping for a more leading role in the management of the throne, on a personal level, dealing with his feuding sons will come as a new challenge.
“The royal family have been hugely supportive of Christchurch, particularly in the wake of the earthquakes and the mosque attack, and I am sure many people will want to express their sympathy to the royal family,” the mayor said. As a sign of respect, the New Zealand flag atop the council s civic offices on Hereford St was lowered to half-mast on Saturday.
Staff photographer/Stuff
The Duke of Edinburgh during the opening ceremony of the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. The Duke of Edinburgh visited New Zealand 14 times during his life. Four of those times he was on his own. The first visit was in 1953-54, shortly after the Queen s coronation.
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