Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Queen to bid farewell to Prince Philip

Queen to bid farewell to Prince Philip

QUEEN will bid a final farewell to Prince Philip, her husband of more than seven decades, at a ceremonial funeral on Saturday (17), with the nation set to hold a minute's silence to mark the passing of a pivotal figure in the British monarchy.

The coffin of Philip, who died aged 99 on April 9 at Windsor Castle, will be driven to the funeral at St George's Chapel in the castle on a specially modified Land Rover.


Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and Philip's other three children will walk behind in procession. Prince William and his brother Prince Harry - who has returned from the US to attend - will walk separated by their cousin Peter Phillips.

The queen, who says the death has left a huge void, will be driven behind in the State Bentley. In the service, which starts at 3 p.m. (1400 GMT), the 94-year-old monarch will stand alone due to Covid-19 restrictions as her husband's coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault of the ancient chapel.

"She's the queen, she will behave with the extraordinary dignity and extraordinary courage that she always does. And at the same time, she is saying farewell to someone to who she was married for 73 years," said Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will help officiate at the service.

Philip, who married Elizabeth in 1947, helped the young queen adapt the monarchy to the changing world of the post-World War Two era as the loss of empire and the decline of deference challenged the world's most prominent royal family.

She has now been widowed just as she grapples with one of the gravest crises to hit the royal family in decades - allegations of racism and neglect by it from her grandson Harry and his American-born wife Meghan.

'Harry factor'

Much media attention will focus on the royals' behaviour towards Harry as he makes his first public appearance with the family since the couple gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey last month.

In the interview they accused one unnamed royal of making a racist comment, and said Meghan's pleas for help when she felt suicidal were ignored.

The couple, who moved to Los Angeles and quit royal duties last year, laid bare their perceptions of the family's attitudes in what amounted to a critique of the old-fashioned customs of an ancient institution.

Meghan said she had been silenced by "the Firm" while Harry said his father, Charles, had refused to take his calls. Harry said both Charles and his brother William were trapped in the royal family.

Meghan, who is pregnant, will not attend Saturday's funeral as her doctor has advised against it, Buckingham Palace said.

Mourners will eschew the tradition of wearing military uniforms, a step newspapers said was to prevent embarrassment to Harry, who despite serving two tours in Afghanistan during his army career, is not be entitled to wear a uniform because he was stripped of his honorary military titles.

"We're not going to be drawn into those perceptions of drama, or anything like that," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said. "This is a funeral. The arrangements have been agreed, and they represent her majesty's wishes."

Prince Andrew, who stepped down from public duties in 2019 over controversy surrounding his what he termed his "ill-judged" association with late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, had wanted to wear an admiral's uniform at the funeral, British media reported.

Queen alone

The palace has emphasised that while the occasion will have the due pageantry that marks the passing of a senior royal, it remains an occasion for a mourning family to mark the passing of a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

There will be just 30 mourners inside the chapel for the service because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Archbishop Welby, leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, said he expected the funeral to resonate with the millions of people around the world who have lost loved ones during the pandemic.

Philip's dedication to his duty earned him widespread popularity in Britain, but he was also criticised by some for a number of off-the-cuff racist or abrupt comments which shocked princes, priests and presidents.

"He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm and also because you never knew what he might say next," Harry said of his grandfather.

British television stations have cleared their schedules to show the funeral and millions are due to watch, though there have been over 100,000 complaints to the British Broadcasting Corporation over its blanket coverage since Philip died.

Philip was a decorated Royal Navy veteran of World War Two and his funeral, much of which was planned in meticulous detail by the prince himself, will have a strong military feel, with personnel from across the armed forces playing prominent roles.

More For You

migrants cross Channel

Migrants wade into the sea to board a dinghy to cross the English Channel on August 25, 2025 in Gravelines, France.(Photo: Getty Images)

Over 1,000 migrants cross Channel on Shabana Mahmood’s first day as home secretary

MORE than 1,000 migrants arrived on small boats across the Channel on Shabana Mahmood’s first full day as home secretary, taking total arrivals this year past 30,000.

The Home Office said 1,097 migrants crossed on Saturday after nine days without any arrivals. It was the second-highest daily total this year, after 1,195 on May 31. Crossings have now reached 30,100 — 37 per cent higher than at this point in 2023 and 8 per cent higher than 2022, the record year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nepal protests

Demonstrators gather at the entrance of the parliament during a protest against corruption and government’s decision to block several social media platforms, in Kathmandu, Nepal September 8, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Protests erupt in Nepal over social media shutdown, corruption allegations

Highlights:

  • Thousands of young Nepalis march in Kathmandu against social media ban and corruption
  • Government blocks 26 unregistered platforms, citing fake news and fraud concerns
  • Police use tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse protesters
  • Critics accuse government of authoritarianism and failure to deliver on promises

THOUSANDS of young Nepalis marched in Kathmandu on Monday demanding that the government lift its ban on social media platforms and address corruption.

Keep ReadingShow less
English Channel

People try to board a migrant dinghy into the English Channel on August 25, 2025 in Gravelines, France. (Photo: Getty Images)

Government plans to use military sites for migrant housing

THE UK government said on Sunday it is examining the use of military sites to house migrants, amid growing criticism over the practice of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels.

"We are looking at the potential use of military and non-military use sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats," defence secretary John Healey told Sky News.

Keep ReadingShow less
​London Underground

London Underground services will not resume before 8am on Friday September 12. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tube strike begins as RMT stages five-day walkout over pay

Highlights:

  • First London Underground strike since March 2023 begins
  • RMT members stage five-day walkout after pay talks collapse
  • Union demands 32-hour week; TfL offers 3.4 per cent rise
  • Elizabeth line and Overground to run but face heavy demand

THE FIRST London Underground strike since March 2023 has begun, with a five-day walkout over pay and conditions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian restaurant loses licence after Home Office catches illegal workers

Mumbai Local has been stripped of its licence by Harrow council. (Photo: LDRS/Google Maps)

Indian restaurant loses licence after Home Office catches illegal workers

AN INDIAN restaurant in north London has lost its licence after it was found to have repeatedly employed illegal workers.

Harrow council determined that the evidence suggested that using illegal workers was a “systemic approach” to running the premises and it had a “lack of trust” in the business to comply with the law.

Keep ReadingShow less