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A memorial for the late Duke of Edinburgh has taken place at Westminster Abbey from 10.30am today, Tuesday 29 March.
The Service of Thanksgiving was held at Westminster Abbey and saw a 1,800-strong congregation gather to honour Prince Philip’s life.
The Queen arrived at the service accompanied by the Duke of York, who also walked her down the aisle in the abbey to her seat. He then took his own seat in the front row of the congregation.
The service came after the 95-year-old head of state pulled out of the Commonwealth Day service earlier this month due to mobility issues, and has previously spoken about her struggle to move.
Earlier reports said the Queen was “determined” to be at the service. The Palace said she was actively involved in plans for the service, with many elements reflecting her wishes.
Follow our liveblog to get the latest updates on Philip’s memorial today.
The touching symbolic reason the Queen and other royal women wore green
The Queen, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived at the ceremony dressed in emerald green.
The monarch opted for a calf-length green dress, while the Duchess of Cornwall wore a fascinator adorned with a large green feather.
The outfits mark a subtle tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh as the shade, known as “Edinburgh Green”, was Philip’s official livery colour.
Saman Javed shares the details:
The symbolic reason the Queen and other royal women wore green to Philip’s memorial
A service of thanksgiving took place at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday
The meaning behind the flowers
Staff at Westminster Abbey revealed the hidden meaning behind the flowers selected for the memorial service.
Flowers arranged around the gothic cathedral came in shades of red, white and blue, and included roses, carnations, eryngium (sea holly) and dendrobium orchids.
In a Twitter post, staff at Westminster Abbey explained the significance of these particular flowers, writing: “Orchids featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet and sea holly echoes the Duke’s career in the Navy and affection for the sea.”
Joanna Whitehead shares the details:
The touching symbolism behind the flowers at Prince Philip’s memorial service
Small details played a large part in today’s memorial service
Royal commentators ponder Prince Andrew’s role in Prince Philip’s memorial
Following the Service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh, many people have been left wondering why Prince Andrew was given the role to accompany the Queen to Westminster Abbey earlier today.
In attending the service, the Duke of York made his first public appearance since he settled on an agreement with Jeffrey Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre, over her sex abuse case against him. Andrew has consistently denied ever meeting her, but agreed to a multi-million pound settlement to stop the case from progressing to trial.
But some royal commentators have said the Duke’s role in accompanying his mother to the abbey may have merely been a question of “practicality”, although others were left surprised by the choice.
Former royal correspondent Peter Hunt told the PA news agency that Andrew’s “prominent role” during the service took the spotlight off Prince Philip, who was being remembered today.
“It’s one thing to organise an event to satisfy the needs and the desires of the family members, it’s quite another to then step back from it and see how it is seen around the world, and I don’t yet know what that judgment will be,” he added.
“But the risk for them is it reopens yet again the whole can of worms for them about Prince Andrew’s judgment, it reminds them about his missteps and it raises questions about the wisdom of allowing him to have a prominent role when he could just have attended as everyone else did.”
But Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, does not think the Queen “would necessarily regard it in that way”, adding that it may have been “a practicality as much as anything”.
He pointed out that Andrew has not been found guilty of anything, adding: “It’s a complicated situation on a very personal level for the Queen as his mother.”
Queen thanked Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare for her speech
After the service, the Queen expressed her appreciation to Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, for her speech that described the impact Philip’s best remembered charitable project had on her life and career.
Sonibare, 28, said “She thanked me for my speech - she was lovely, really kind. And she asked what I did for my Duke of Edinburgh’s award.”
The 28-year-old, who has an ambassador role with the award, said: “I just got a message from my mum, she said, ‘Congratulations, really proud of you’.”
Many of the royal women, including the Queen wore green outfits, as did Sonibare, she said: “I think it was just a crazy coincidence if I’m honest, but it’s quite nice, like we’re all in sync.”
She described how she received her gold award from the Earl of Wessex but met Philip briefly when he opened an office for his awards organisation in London, around six years ago.
When told she had given a very assured performance in the Abbey she replied: “I was nervous inside, great it didn’t come across that way.”
PA
Royal family pay tributes to Prince Philip in special broadcast
Members of the royal family paid tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh before the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey today.
Speaking to BBC in a pre-recorded segment, they shared their favourite memories of Prince Philip.
Laura Hampson reports on the touching words said about the Duke:
Prince Harry, Prince Charles and other royals pay warm tributes to Prince Philip
A memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh is taking place today
Tweets by the royal family in honour of Prince Philip
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, have tweeted cherished pictures of the Duke of Edinburgh with words to remember him by.
Why wasn’t Prince Philip a king?
As the nation remembers the Duke, some may be wondering why he was never a king, despite being married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years.
Wonder no further. Chelsea Ritschel explains:
Prince Philip’s biographer has a theory about the date of the memorial
Author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, who wrote the 2021 biography of the Duke of Edinburgh titled Philip: The Final Portrait, has said he thinks he has worked out why the Queen chose 29 March to hold a memorial for her late husband.
Prince Philip died on 9 April 202, but the Service of Thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey today comes several days before the actual date of his anniversary.
Brandreth’s theory as to why Her Majesty chose today instead of 9 April is that 29 March “is the anniversary of the Battle of Cape Matapan in 1941 during WWII when Prince Philip was serving on HMS Valiant”.
Philip was mentioned in despatches for his service during his time as a midshipman aboard HMS Valiant, off the southern coast of Greece.
He was praised for his actions during the battle against the Italian fleet. He had been in control of the searchlights as the ship battled an Italian cruiser when he spotted an unexpected second enemy vessel nearby.
The Duke survived after an enemy cannon shell ripped into his position, shattering his lights. His commanding officer commended his “alertness and appreciation of the situation” for their success in sinking two Italian gun cruisers.
Philip was awarded the Greek War Cross of Valour shortly afterwards.
Members of the public share their favourite moments and pictures of Prince Philip
Many fans of the Duke of Edinburgh have taken to Twitter to share their favourite moments and pictures of him throughout his life.
Some people said they had met the Duke, resulting in standout memories, while others shared the things about Philip that they liked the most.
Here are just some of the tributes paid to Philip:
Philip ‘would have been pleased’ with memorial service, Elizabeth Grubb says
One of the Duke of Edinburgh’s goddaughters, Elizabeth Grubb, has said that he “would have been pleased” with the service held today.
Grubb, who flew from New Zealand to attend the service, was there with her son, Richard Rice-Grubb. She said that the Dke was a friend of her father’s after they served together in the Navy.
Speaking outside Westminster Abbey, she described the memorial as “beautiful and, I think, just right”.
“It hit just the right tone and I’m sure it was the right thing for Prince Philip,” she added. “The music was lovely. The Dean of Windsor’s address was great.
“I think he would have been pleased, wherever he is.”
Grubb said Philip became her godfather just before he married Queen Elizabeth II.
“Throughout my life, in different small ways and bigger ways, he’s been with me, so I’m very glad that I could be here today,” she continued.
“I’m glad I was here for me, but also for my father, who’s long gone. It was really nice, particularly for the Queen, for everybody to have had a fitting goodbye.”
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