Prince Philip funeral: the Queen and Royal family prepare to lay Duke of Edinburgh to rest - latest news
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A nation comes together today to say goodbye to Prince Philip.
The Duke of Edinburgh will be remembered for his "kindness, humour and humanity" and his "unwavering loyalty" to the Queen.
There will be no eulogy or sermon at the afternoon funeral service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and no members of the Royal family will give readings.
Instead, the deeply religious ceremony will reflect the Duke's desire to avoid unnecessary fuss, and will focus on Royal Navy tradition and his love of the sea.
Millions across Britain and around the world are expected to watch the ceremony.
Follow the latest updates below.
06:34 AM
Princes William and Harry to be reunited before funeral
The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex will be reunited behind closed doors at Windsor Castle on Saturday before laying their beloved grandfather to rest.
Members of the Royal family - including Prince William and Prince Harry - will gather in the State Entrance Hall before the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin emerges from the State Entrance at 2.41pm.
Assuming the brothers have not arranged a private meeting earlier on Saturday morning, it is the first time they will see each other in the flesh in over a year.
It will also mark their first face-to-face meeting since Harry and his wife Meghan gave an interview to the US chat show host Oprah Winfrey last month, suggesting an unnamed royal had queried Archie's skin tone as well as describing William as "trapped" in the monarchy.
06:12 AM
What Prince Philip's funeral tells us about him
The Duke of Edinburgh distilled his own personality into a stripped-down funeral service by choosing simplicity, tradition and piety over sentimentality, extravagance or vanity.
Prince Philip, a deep and devout religious thinker, believed his funeral should glorify God, rather than himself, insisting there should be no eulogy, or even a sermon.
The Queen once remarked that her husband did not “take easily to compliments”, and even in death he made sure there would be no opportunity for acclamation.
05:46 AM
'Philip adored his Lilibet. He loved her deeply'
The Duke of Edinburgh did not like talking about himself and he certainly didn’t want to be drawn on his relationship with the Queen. He accepted that the main purpose of his life after 1952 was “to support Her Majesty as best I could”, but was not going to discuss his ‘feelings’ about her with me or anyone else.
When I asked him to tell me about the chemistry between them, he harrumphed, “What sort of a question is that?” When (rather bravely I think) I tried to press him on the matter, he wouldn’t put it in his own words but pointed me towards another quotation.
Read more from biographer Gyles Brandreth
05:00 AM
‘He played peek-a-boo with my son’: Telegraph readers stories
From chance encounters, to an ice breaking one-liner at a charity event or a snatched conversation amid the frenzy of a Royal walkabout.
For the thousands of members of the public who got the chance to spend a few moments with Prince Philip over the years, the memory of his humour, charm and decency outlives him in the stories they still tell years later of “the day I met the Duke”.
04:19 AM
The Duke of Edinburgh's final resting place
After his funeral today, the Duke of Edinburgh will be privately interred in the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel - but this will not be his final resting place.
When the Queen dies, Philip will be transferred to the gothic church's King George VI memorial chapel to lie alongside his wife of 73 years.
The tiny chapel houses the remains of the Queen's father George VI, her mother the Queen Mother, and sister Princess Margaret.
03:41 AM
Previously unseen photos show Prince Philip's sailing prowess
The Duke of Edinburgh’s early nautical prowess was captured in photographs from his school days that have never previously been seen.
Taken in 1937, Prince Philip is seen sitting confidently at the helm of Diligent, one of the sailing boats belonging to the boarding school in Scotland where he was educated, Gordonstoun.
The black-and-white images have finally come to light after the great-nephew of the former student who took them made contact with the school following the Duke’s passing.
02:57 AM
Queen shares favourite unseen photograph of Prince Philip
The Queen has shared one of her favourite photographs of herself relaxing with the Duke of Edinburgh, her beloved husband of 73 years.
The image depicts the couple in a rare private moment, off duty, relaxed and enjoying each other's company in one of their favourite beauty spots atop the Coyles of Muick on the Balmoral estate.
The candid snap was taken by the Countess of Wessex in 2003. The couple, smiling broadly at the camera, are clearly enjoying a break amid the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands.
It is thought the picture was taken during the couple's traditional summer break at the Queen's nearby private estate of Balmoral.
Read more: Queen shares private photograph of Duke of Edinburgh
The photograph also features on the front page of today's Telegraph:
02:37 AM
Your complete guide to the ceremony
Every moment of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral has been meticulously planned and rehearsed.
From the moment his coffin emerges into the sunlight from Windsor Castle, where his body has rested since his death last Friday, until the moment, almost five hours later, when it is lowered slowly into the Royal Vault beneath the alter at St George’s Chapel, the day has been designed to reflect the Duke’s proud military heritage and achievements.
The procession begins at Windsor Castle:
For your complete guide on how the day will unfold, click here.
02:21 AM
Today's top stories
As the Queen prepares to say farewell to Prince Philip at Windsor Castle today, here are the top stories:
The Queen has shared one of her favourite photographs of herself relaxing with the Duke of Edinburgh, her beloved husband of 73 years
The Duke of Edinburgh will today be remembered for his "kindness, humour and humanity" and his "unwavering loyalty" to the Queen in a service at Windsor Castle
The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex will be reunited behind closed doors at Windsor Castle today before laying their beloved grandfather to rest
The Duke of Edinburgh’s early nautical prowess was captured in photographs from his school days that have never previously been seen
The Duke of Edinburgh took a close personal interest in the songs that will be sung at his funeral in Windsor Castle today, including two pieces written at his request
More than 730 members of the Armed Forces will line the route of the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral procession
A Grenadier Guard whose grandfather served at both the funeral of George VI and the Queen's coronation is to lead the Bearer Party tasked with carrying Prince Philip's coffin
Among military personnel taking part in today's funeral will be a commanding officer who drew admiration from the Duke of Edinburgh for her handling of a difficult horse