Princess Anne carries the casket of her late father Prince Philip at the funeral
Sticking to the day’s dress code for royals, Princess Anne in her black jacket, showing the military medals sought a significant role in Prince Philip’s funeral.
Princess Anne, the only daughter of Late Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, was seen walking behind a Land Rover carrying her father’s casket from Windsor Castle to nearby St George’s Chapel. This made her the sole woman participating in the 8-minute walk, alongside her elder brother, Prince Charles. They were followed by their younger brothers Prince Andrews and Prince Edward, who were in turn followed by Charles’ sons Prince William and Prince Harry with Anne’s son, Peter Philips in between them. Behind them were Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the queen’s late sister Princess Margaret’s son David Armstrong-Jones-the Earl of Snowdon.
As they approached the chapel, members of the UK military bowed their heads in respect. On the queen’s separate arrival in Bentley, the national anthem began.
Following the Duke of Edeath, Anne released a statement about her father, saying, “You know it’s going to happen but you are never really ready. My father has been my teacher, my supporter and my critic, but mostly it is his example of a life well lived and service freely given that I most wanted to emulate. His ability to treat every person as an individual in their own right with their own skills comes through all the organisations with which he was involved.”
She continued, “I regard it as an honour and a privilege to have been asked to follow in his footsteps and it has been a pleasure to have kept him in touch with their activities. I know how much he meant to them, in the UK, across the Commonwealth and in the wider world. I would like to emphasise how much the family appreciate the messages and memories of so many people whose lives he also touched. We will miss him but he leaves a legacy which can inspire us all.”
Though unconventional for women, Anne, 70, had also been a member of her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession in 2002, where she walked in between Philip and Edward, with Charles and Andrew walking in parallel on their father’s other side.
