Prince Harry Reported To Have Arrived In The UK Ahead Of Philip's Funeral

Apr 12, 2021 by apost team

Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II for more than seven decades, died on April 9 this year, just two months shy of his 100th birthday. The Duke of Edinburgh was the oldest living male member of the British royal family and third longest-living member overall after he surpassed the late Princess Alice of Albany, who died aged 97, in 2019. At age 94, his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, holds place number six on the list of longest-living British royals.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from his royal duties in 2017 at the age of 95, removing himself from the public eye. Before stepping back, he was considered one of the busiest royals, having had more than 22,000 solo appearances, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. However, since his retirement, his health has deteriorated. In 2018, he underwent hip surgery ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. Less than a year later, Philip was also in a car accident, which led to him voluntarily relinquishing his license.

Just nine weeks ago, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Feb. 16 on a precautionary basis since he reportedly felt unwell. Following his admission, the prince underwent surgery for a heart condition.

Buckingham Palace released a statement following his March 16 release from the hospital that called the procedure "successful." Unfortunately, his long life caught up with the Duke just a few weeks later. According to statements made by the family, his passing was peaceful.

Following the Duke's death, funeral planning is taking place. According to the BBC, the funeral will be taking place on April 17. Due to the ongoing health crisis, only 30 close members of the family will be in attendance. However, Buckingham Palace has announced that a national minute of silence will mark the start of the proceedings at 3 pm local time. The funeral will be televised but follow a simpler and more ceremonial script than previous state affair funerals of former British monarchs. Until the 17th, Great Britain has entered a state of national mourning.

Also taking part in the procession will be Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. The somber event will mark the first time Prince Harry will be 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 to not fly during this time. It is understood, however, that Markle had made every effort to join her husband until her doctors did not give her clearance as per the news outlet. 

Metro also reported that Prince Harry will be wearing a suit and not a military uniform since giving up his titles and stepping down as a royal. This will be in stark contrast to his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William, both of whom are expected to attend the funeral in regimental dresses. 

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Reacting to the news of Prince Philip's death, Harry and Markle posted a tribute to the late royal on the website of their foundation Archewell, which read "In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021 Thank you for your service… You will be greatly missed." 

The late Prince Philip was an active and dedicated member of the Royal family ever since Queen Elizabeth's crowning. Prince Philip served with the Royal Navy during World War II and continued active service in the Royal Navy until Elizabeth's accession to the throne on February 6th, 1952. Until the conclusion of his service, he commanded the frigate Magpie. 

From a young age, Prince Harry had similar interests to that of his grandfather, including hunting, riding, and serving his country. Prince Harry served in the military for 10 years before officially ended his duties in May 2015. He has two tours of Afghanistan and in 2017, he was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry, according to the Royal Website. In 2017, Prince Harry was made the Captain General of the Royal Marines, succeeding Prince Philip who had previously held the same position. However, Prince Harry stepped back from all of his military duties when he chose to leave behind his title as a senior royal member of the family back in January 2020. 

When it comes to their relationship, Prince Harry and the late Prince Philip had always been close. Town And Country Magazine wrote, "Prince Philip has always got along well with his grandson Prince Harry, whose sporting abilities both with a gun and a polo pony he admired."

We send our condolences to the Royal Family during this difficult time. Let us know what you think about the small funeral service, and be sure to pass this on to others who are following the funeral proceedings.