LONDON — The funeral of Britain’s Prince Philip, who died Friday aged 99, may be like no other major royal event in modern history.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II’s husband is expected to mark the start of eight days of national mourning.
But coronavirus lockdown restrictions currently in force in the United Kingdom mean that officials are discouraging crowds from paying their respects.
Philip will not have a state funeral and he will not lie-in-state, according to the College of Arms, a body that plays a role in royal funerals. State funerals are usually only granted to ruling sovereigns, but the decision also came at Philip’s request, it said.
His body will instead lie at rest in Windsor Castle ahead of the funeral in St George’s Chapel.
April 9, 202105:25
“The funeral arrangements have been revised in view of the prevailing circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the College of Arms said in a statement Friday.
“It is regretfully requested that members of the public do not attempt to attend or participate in any of the events that make up the funeral.”
Fuller details on the arrangements will be released in time, it said.
By law, funerals in the United Kingdom must have 30 attendees or fewer — a world away from the pageantry of the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002, which saw 200,000 mourners line the streets.
Following Philip’s death on Friday, a framed notice was placed on the railings outside Buckingham Palace and all official flags will be flown at half staff until the funeral itself.
The royal website was replaced with a single black page containing Philip’s photo and announcing details of his death.
The BBC News channel played the national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” after the official announcement of Philip’s death.
The public broadcaster said that all planned programming had been suspended. “There is now special coverage across all BBC networks to mark his life of extraordinary public service,” it said in a statement.
The British Cabinet will meet at 5 p.m. local time (noon ET) to pay their respects. And the House of Commons will return Monday, one day early from their Easter recess, for a special session marking his life.
Britain’s political parties also temporarily suspended campaigning for next month’s local and national elections.
As the world reacted to the news, members of the public began laying flowers outside Buckingham Palace and the entrance to Windsor Castle, where Philip died on Friday morning.
This prompted a plea from the government for them to stop because of Covid-19.
“Although this is an extraordinarily difficult time for many, we are asking the public not to gather at royal residences, and continue to follow public health advice particularly on avoiding meeting in large groups and on minimizing travel,” a Cabinet Office spokesman said.
“We are supporting the Royal Household in asking that floral tributes should not be laid at Royal Residences at this time.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
