Guests for Prince Philip's funeral announced as Queen is set to sit alone

15 April 2021, 18:11 | Updated: 16 April 2021, 09:22

The Queen will sit alone at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral. Picture: PA

By Will Taylor

The full list of guests attending Prince Philip’s funeral under Covid restrictions has been announced.

His closest family will make up the maximum of 30 permitted attendees while the Queen will sit alone at the socially-distance ceremony.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen faced "very difficult" decisions as she whittled the original 800 people down.

The duke's children the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Earl of Wessex and Prince Andrew, in his first appearance at a royal event since 2019, will attend as expected.

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The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex will be reunited, with the latter self-isolating in Frogmore Cottage after flying back from the US.

The pregnant Duchess of Sussex has not travelled after being advised against it on medical grounds.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "At its heart it is still a family event.

"We are following the Covid guidelines. There was a limit on who could be invited as a guest and Her Majesty wanted to ensure that all branches of the duke's family were there, and had to make some very difficult decisions about who would be there.

"For those that unfortunately can't be there, I'm sure they will be making their own private arrangements about how they commemorate the duke, and indeed celebrate the duke. "

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Meanwhile, the Queen, who will leave for St George’s Chapel before 3pm, will have to sit alone as all mourners observe social distancing.

The Palace has asked the public to avoid gathering at royal residences to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, instead suggesting a donation to charity.

The funeral, which officially begins at 3pm, will be broadcast on TV though programmes are scheduled to take place before and during the event.

Meanwhile, members of the royal family will not attend in military uniform.

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It follows reports that the Duke of Sussex could have faced being the only close family member to not wear uniform and that Prince Andrew wanted to go as an Admiral.

Prince Philip’s coffin will be driven in a specially-modified Land Rover from the entrance of Windsor Castle, while the Prince of Wales and others will walk in procession behind at 2.45pm.

A minute’s silence will also be held at 3pm.

The full list of attendees is:

1. The Queen

2. The Prince of Wales

3. The Duchess of Cornwall

4. The Duke of Cambridge

5. The Duchess of Cambridge

6. The Duke of Sussex

7. The Duke of York

8. Princess Beatrice

9. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

10. Princess Eugenie