Prince Harry will be traveling from California to Windsor for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, BAAZAR.com can confirm.
The Duke of Sussex will soon be making his journey to the U.K., where sources say he will be “following COVID-19 protocols for travel” in both directions as well as during his time in the country. The funeral will take place on Saturday, April 17, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Duchess Meghan, who is heavily pregnant with the couple’s second child, a daughter, is unable to accompany the prince. A source close to the couple tells BAZAAR, “The Duchess has made every effort to travel alongside The Duke, but unfortunately, she did not receive medical clearance from her physician.”
Saturday’s funeral, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time and coincide with a national minute of silence, will see 30 people in attendance (in accordance with the British government’s pandemic guidelines). Guests include family members, children, grandchildren, and long-serving staff members such as Prince Philip’s faithful valet, page, and private secretary.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin will remain in the Queen’s private chapel at Windsor Castle all week before being transferred in a modified Land Rover that the Duke had helped design. For the funeral, family members, including Prince Harry, will follow the coffin to St George’s Chapel for a military-influenced royal ceremonial service. A Buckingham Palace representative adds that a number of arrangements have been modified due to COVID-19 restrictions and requests that members of the public do not gather at royal residences. “People turning up at Windsor Castle on Saturday will not be able to see anything,” says a spokesman.
Both Harry and Meghan paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh on the day of his death, April 10, with a message on the website of their charitable foundation Archewell. “Thank you for your service,” the touching note read. “You will be missed.”
Harry has often spoken fondly about his close relationship with Prince Philip. During a recent chat with James Corden, he revealed that he regularly has Zoom calls with both grandparents. “They’ve seen Archie running around,” he said. “My grandfather, instead of, like, pressing ‘leave meeting’, he just goes doof,” Harry laughed, mimicking someone slamming down the lid of a laptop. “I’m like, OK, bye!”
The visit will be Prince Harry’s first time in the U.K. since stepping back from his royal role in March 2020. It will also be the first time he sees family members, including Prince Charles and Prince William, since the Sussexes sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a bombshell-filled primetime interview.
Omid Scobie is BAZAAR.com’s Royal Editor at Large and has covered the lives and philanthropic work of the younger members of the British Royal Family for over eight years. As well as spearheading exclusive coverage of major royal milestones (including the weddings of both the Cambridges and Sussexes), Scobie has traveled extensively with Harry, Meghan, William and Kate on their engagements in the U.K. and around the world. As ABC News’s Royal Contributor, Scobie is a regular on Good Morning America and host of the network’s forthcoming podcast, The Heir Pod.
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