Members of the royal family will not wear military uniforms at Prince Philip’s funeral
Members of the Royal Family will not wear military uniforms during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, which will take place on Saturday, April 17.
Stepping away from tradition, it is understood that the Queen has decided that members of the Royal Family who attend the service in Windsor should instead be in civilian clothes.
The move will also mean that the Duke of Sussex will not be the only one not to wear the uniform while serving, having lost his honorary military titles after making the decision to step down as a senior member of the Royal Family.
Protocol suggests Prince Harry, who has made two tours of Afghanistan, can now only wear a costume with medals during royal functions.
The rule of non-uniformity has been described as “the most telling solution to the problem,” a military source told The Sun.
However, the decision departs from the usual tradition of a ceremonial royal funeral and will contrast with the strong military presence expected to honor Prince Philip, who served in World War II.
When will Prince Philip’s funeral take place?
Prince Philip’s funeral will take place in Windsor on Saturday April 17.
The Duke of Edinburgh passed away on April 9 at the age of 99 and the Royal Family are currently in a two-week mourning period.
The service will be a ceremonial royal burial, instead of a state burial which is typically reserved for monarchs, and due to current Covid restrictions on crowds and the number of people attending the services, the Duke’s funeral will be a lot more discreet than usual.
The funeral will begin at the entrance to Windsor Castle, where the casket will begin its journey to the King George VI Memorial Chapel, and the service is scheduled to begin with a nationwide minute of silence at 3 p.m.
The service will be broadcast live on BBC One from 3pm on Saturday and will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.