Kate Middleton Was The Image Of Dignified Grace At Prince Philip's Funeral

Apr 19, 2021 by apost team

On Friday, April 9, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at the age of 99 years old. Not long before his death, the Queen's beloved husband was discharged from the hospital after spending several days there due to complications with an infection. Prince Philip's infection was reportedly not due to coronavirus, as he and the Queen were vaccinated in January of this year, according to BBC. Philip's passing ends his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total.

Philip's funeral on April 17, 2021, was a quiet affair with only 30 people in attendance due to the coronavirus restrictions. Generally, a man of Philips's stature would have received a state funeral with a minimum of 800 people in attendance, but this could not happen due to the ongoing pandemic. The guestlist of 30 people only comprised of the closest royal family members, which naturally included Prince William and Prince Harry.

The brothers have faced challenges in their relationship for the last year and the whole world had their eyes on the brothers' interaction at the funeral. However, Prince William's wife — Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge — has been seen by many as a peacekeeper between the two brothers. Her role as such was definitely played out at the funeral on Saturday, but it wasn't just her mediating between the two brothers that stood out; it was the strength that she showed everyone.

Kate Middleton's poise and class stood out to the Royal Family and viewers as she was captured looking incredibly strong and graceful in photos.

Read on to learn more about how Kate Middleton is being regarded as a symbol of grace during these trying times.

Prince Philip was born June 10, 1921, in Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece. In fact, Prince Philip was born as a royal, originally inheriting the title of the prince of Greece and Denmark. However, Biography.com reports that his family was exiled from Greece when he was only an infant, which led to a lot of turbulence in his early life. He was then reared mainly in Great Britain, being educated at Gordonstoun School in Scotland, which was followed by his attendance of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. He met his future wife, Elizabeth, for the first time in 1934, when both families attended the marriage of his cousin to Elizabeth's uncle and met once again when Elizabeth's father, George VI, was crowned.

Before Prince Philip got married to Queen Elizabeth, he was required to give up his titles and succession to the throne in Greece. He did so willingly and took on his mother's surname Mountbatten. The Duke of Edinburgh was an active and dedicated member of the Royal family ever since Queen Elizabeth's crowning.   

On Friday, April 9, 2021, Prince Philip passed away in Windsor Castle. The exact cause of death has not been released publically, but in an official statement, the palace said that he went peacefully. His death set off Operation Forth Bridge, which was the plan for publically announcing his death and the ensuing funeral arrangements. As Prince Philip was not a monarch, he wasn't given a state funeral but a royal ceremonial funeral instead. Due to the current pandemic restrictions, the funeral was very small — only 30 people were allowed to attend. Having taken place on Saturday, April 17 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, many royal family members were a part of the funeral.

apost.com

The funeral marked the first time Harry was back on English soil after stepping down from the duties of a senior royal just a year ago, Metro reports. His wife Meghan Markle could not join him, as the couple is expecting their second child soon. Due to Markle being heavily pregnant, she has been advised by doctors not to fly during this time. It is understood, however, that she had made every effort to join her husband until her doctors did not give her clearance, as per the news outlet. 

BBC reported that the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge were seen talking together after they left the funeral of their grandfather. During the procession from Windsor Castle to St. George's Chapel, the princes walked with their cousin Peter Phillips between them. After the service, the brothers were deep in conversation and later were joined by Harry's sister-in-law Kate Middleton. 

The Sun reported that William has previously called his wife a "peacemaker" in the family, and that may have helped to thaw the cold relationship between Harry and his brother. Kate may truly be a subtle but powerful peacemaker for the brothers. Not only did Kate wear a pearl necklace that served as a gesture to the queen and the late Princess Diana, she paired her classy look with a classy attitude. In photos, Kate Middleton was seen with a strong and dignified look. Many say she served to as a beacon of light during the funeral for both the Royal Family and fans across the world.

What do you think about Kate's grace during the funeral? Who else did you notice being extra strong and dignified on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts and be sure to pass this on to others who watched the funeral on Saturday.