Queen Elizabeth II is in the process of mourning her late husband, Prince Philip. The prince passed away on April 9 at 99 years of age.
“His life spanned nearly a century of European history, starting with his birth as a member of the Greek royal family and ending as Britain’s longest serving consort during a turbulent reign in which the thousand-year-old monarchy was forced to reinvent itself for the 21st century,” AP News reported.
Prince Philip’s funeral occurred on April 17. Due to social distancing, only 30 people were permitted to attend the event.
“Philip’s funeral, however, did not draw the crowds of other royal ceremonies,” The New York Times reported. “Because of the pandemic, Buckingham Palace urged people not to come to Windsor, the town west of London that the castle overlooks.”
The ceremony was symbolic, honoring Prince Philip and his military service as the Duke of Edinburgh.
“The duke’s coffin was draped in his personal standard and carried his sword and naval cap,” the New York Times reported. “On nine cushions on the altar were military regalia, including Philip’s Royal Air Force wings and field marshal’s baton, as well as the Order of the Elephant, bestowed on him by Denmark, and the Order of the Redeemer, by Greece. Those symbolized his royal lineage as a prince of Denmark and Greece.”
Queen Elizabeth II left a handwritten note for Prince Philip in a bouquet of flowers at his funeral, following tradition. However, the Queen broke typical monarchical tradition after the funeral, during her mourning period.
“Tradition generally calls for the Queen, 94, to use black-edged stationery during her mourning period, but according to multiple reports, she will instead use different personalized stationery,” FOX News reported. “According to People magazine, the royal‘s stationery will feature her own crest in black. Usually, the crest is red.”
