Prince Philip news: Funeral will show how much armed forces 'loved and respected' Duke, says General Sir Nick Carter
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How Prince Philip planned his funeral with military precision
Princes William and Harry will not walk shoulder to shoulder at funeral
How to watch Prince Philip's funeral – TV and radio coverage
Prince Philip was the guiding force behind all elements of the arrangements for his own funeral, having meticulously planned the ceremony over at least 18 years.
His final journey will be made on a custom-built Land Rover Defender TD5 130, which he had been quietly modifying since 2003, requesting a repaint in military green to reflect his association with the Armed Forces and making the final adjustments in 2019.
Some of the Duke's regalia will be displayed on the altar in the chapel, again personally chosen by him and including nods to his Danish and Greek heritage.
The head of Britain's Armed Forces, General Sir Nick Carter told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that the funeral "will reflect military precision, and above all, I think it will be a celebration of a life well lived".
He added that it will show "how much the Armed Forces loved and respected him".
08:47 AM
How to watch Prince Philip's funeral
The Duke's funeral will be broadcast across radio and TV on the BBC on Saturday, April 17 and The Telegraph will be livestreaming it here.
Huw Edwards will lead BBC's live coverage of the events at Windsor on Saturday from 12:30pm and at 8:10pm he will reflect on the day's events. He will be joined by broadcaster Sophie Raworth and TV presenter and former Royal Marine JJ Chalmers throughout the afternoon. The BBC will re-broadcast the funeral at 8.10pm.
ITV will also show the funeral from 1.15pm, presented by Tom Bradby and Julie Etchingham from Windsor, with schedules returning to normal from 4.30pm.
Read full details of coverage including radio here.
08:32 AM
Prue Leith: 'I met Prince Philip numerous times – but I never knew which side of him I'd see'
The Duke had strong opinions and didn’t give a hoot if they weren’t politically correct, yet he was also a modern man with wit and charm, writes Prue Leith.
"He was practical. I remember one meeting at Buckingham Palace on the topic of designing for old people, when he suddenly got up from his chair to demonstrate how difficult it was to bleed a radiator near the floor."
Read the full story here.
08:19 AM
Who are the 30 guests?
The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Saturday, April 17, will be like no royal funeral before.
The pandemic has meant the ceremony will be a relatively small affair.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the funeral is to adhere to current Covid-19 guidelines that stipulate just 30 mourners are allowed to attend.
As such, the guest list is tighter than previous funerals of Royal family members.
08:10 AM
Princes William and Harry will not walk shoulder to shoulder at Duke of Edinburgh's funeral
Camilla Tominey reports:
The Duke of Cambridge will not walk shoulder to shoulder with the Duke of Sussex at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, with the two being separated by Peter Phillips.
Seemingly in recognition of ongoing tensions between them, the royal brothers will flank their older cousin as they walk in a procession behind their grandfather's coffin from the State Entrance of Windsor Castle to the West Steps of St George's Chapel on Saturday.
They will be split up again when they walk to their seats in the Quire of the 15th Century church. Prince William, 38, is then expected to join the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, inside the chapel for the 3pm ceremony.
Although the seating plan has not yet been announced, it is thought Prince Harry, 36, will sit next to Mr Phillips, 43, who is attending the funeral alone after separating from his wife, Autumn, in February last year. The pregnant Duchess of Sussex, 39, has not flown over on doctors' advice.
Read the full story here.
07:50 AM
The Duke apologised to President Nixon for 'very lame' toast
Prince Philip apologised to President Richard Nixon for a faux pas at a White House dinner in 1969.
In a handwritten note to the president uncovered by archivists at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, the Duke of Edinburgh wrote to "humbly apologise" for failing to toast the president's health as dictated by protocol during a stag dinner in his honor.
"After the brilliance of the other speakers and yourself, I am afraid my contribution was very lame," Philip wrote to Nixon from Greenland on Nov. 7 after his solo U.S. trip had concluded. He added: "That night I woke up in a cold sweat when I realized I had forgotten to propose your health!"
Jim Byron, executive vice president of the Nixon Foundation said: "I think the letter itself shows the character of Prince Philip that so much of the public in the U.K. and across the Commonwealth, and really across the world, have come to admire".
He said the letter was discovered before the coronavirus pandemic but made public this week, as a way of marking Philip's death.
"It expresses some private feelings of a moment in time that the public really doesn't always get a chance to see," Byron added.
07:28 AM
Duke's 'sense of leadership' will not be forgotten, says General Sir Nick Carter
General Sir Nick added: "When we look back at his war record that sense of courage and what he did is something that all of us have great admiration for. And of course, it sets an example.
"I think one of the things that we will always remember him for is the example that he's set us. And it's an example that means in so many ways that we want to retain the standards that he espoused. And that sense of leadership that came from him, I think is something that none of us will ever forget."
07:11 AM
Funeral will be a 'celebration of a life well lived,' says General Sir Nick Carter
In his first interview since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, the head of Britain's Armed Forces, General Sir Nick Carter told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that the Duke's funeral "will reflect military precision, and above all, I think it will be a celebration of a life well lived".
He added that it will show "how much the Armed Forces loved and respected him".
"And of course it'll reflect his very wide interests and very wide connections within our military. I think he had at one time some 42 different service appointments at with the Commonwealth services.
06:51 AM
Prince Philip's funeral procession timings
The Duke currently lies at rest in the private chapel of Windsor Castle.
On Saturday, the coffin will be moved in a small ceremonial procession from the state entrance to St George’s Chapel for the service, which will begin with a national minute’s silence.
From the initial movements of the coffin to the procession, read our minute-by-minute guide here.
06:41 AM
Matt: 'I took aim at Prince Philip in my cartoons – and he loved it'
The Telegraph's Matt Pritchett has been lampooning famous figures for years but he didn't expect to count the Duke among his fans.
He writes:
In the days since the Duke of Edinburgh’s death a week ago, plenty has been written about his bone-dry sense of humour – not least all those quips aimed at others. What’s perhaps less appreciated, though, is how much he enjoyed a gentle joke at his own expense. I discovered this for myself 15 years ago. In my role as the Telegraph’s front page cartoonist for the last 30-odd years, occasionally the subjects of my jokes will get in touch and ask for the original artwork. I’ve sent cartoons to prime ministers, celebrities and all manner of other public figures, but until April 2006, never to Buckingham Palace.
Read the full story here.
06:23 AM
The Duke's final journey
Bill Gardner reports:
He is said to have remarked to the Queen when discussing his desire for a frill-free funeral: "Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor."
During Saturday's ceremony, the Duke of Edinburgh will get his wish.
The custom-made Land Rover that will carry the Duke's body to its final resting place in St George's Chapel has been unveiled for the first time.
For the past 18 years, it can be revealed, the Duke had been quietly modifying the Land Rover Defender TD5 130, requesting a repaint in military green and designing the open top rear and special "stops" to secure his coffin in place. He made the final adjustments in 2019, the year he turned 98.
The Land Rover's original role would also have been to transport Prince Philip 22 miles from Wellington Arch, in central London, to Windsor – but the Covid pandemic curtailed the long-held plans for military parades in his honour through the streets of both the capital and the Berkshire town.
Read the full story here.
05:46 AM
Today's top stories
The custom-made Land Rover that will carry the Duke's body to its final resting place in St George's Chapel has been unveiled for the first time.
In taking charge of the final preparations for her beloved husband's funeral, the Queen revealed her determination to steer the royal ship into calmer seas ahead of Saturday's ceremony at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The Duke of Cambridge will not walk shoulder to shoulder with the Duke of Sussex at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, with the two being separated by Peter Phillips.
The Telegraph's Matt Pritchett has been lampooning famous figures for years but he didn't expect to count the Duke among his fans. In the days since the Duke of Edinburgh’s death a week ago, plenty has been written about his bone-dry sense of humour – not least all those quips aimed at others. What’s perhaps less appreciated, though, is how much he enjoyed a gentle joke at his own expense.
