Queen Elizabeth II, 94, was in tears as she attended the funeral ceremony for her late husband, Prince Philip on Saturday, April 17, wearing a black coat, hat and face mask.
Upon her somber arrival for the funeral service, the queen was seen adjusting her mask and wiping away tears.
The Queen was full of emotions as the car she was in followed members of the Royal Family as they followed behind the Duke of Edinburgh’s landrover.
Queen Elizabeth II had to sit alone at the service due to the COVID-19 protocols.
Buckingham Palace had confirmed the news of Philip’s death on April 9.
One day after his death, the official royal family Instagram account shared a 2016 portrait of the couple along with a caption quoting a speech the queen gave for their 50th wedding anniversary.
“He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know,” she said.
The queen did not often comment on her relationship with Philip, but the few statements she did share made it clear that she found an unwavering source of support in her husband.
“Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind,” she said in a 2012 speech given for her Diamond Jubilee. “But throughout he has been a constant strength and guide.”
At the funeral, members of the royal family — Philip’s four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward, and some of his grandchildren, including William and Harry — walked in a somber procession behind Prince Philip’s coffin as it was driven to the chapel.
As is the custom (according to BBC), no family members delivered a eulogy, but the Right Rev. David Conner, dean of Windsor, who conducted the funeral service, spoke of “the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us.”
“We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith,” he said. “Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humor and humanity.”
Pandemic rules in Britain meant that the funeral was pared down, with adjustments including a limit of 30 guests at the church service. The queen and the select family members in attendance all wore masks and were seated six feet apart in the chapel.
The funeral service lasted less than an hour. A choir of four sang music chosen by Prince Philip, but were some distance from the seated guests, in line with public health guidelines.
