Queen 'hopes' to attend Prince Philip memorial service after missing engagements

24 March 2022, 12:34 | Updated: 25 March 2022, 00:31

The Queen hopes to attend Tuesday's memorial service for her beloved Prince Philip but it has not yet been confirmed if she will go.

The 95-year-old monarch has been unable to attend a number of engagements recently due to ill health, having caught Covid in February, and did not go to a Commonwealth Day service.

She was also forced to miss Remembrance Sunday events after spraining her back in November but she is reportedly determined to go to the thanksgiving service.

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Other royals will arrive at the thanksgiving event, which will pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh's dedication to "family, nation and Commonwealth", as well as his support for charities.

Prince Andrew is expected to go after reaching a multimillion pound settlement with Virginia Giuffre, a victim of the Duke of York's now-deceased friend, the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Harry will not be attending after a row over his security arrangements.

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The Westminster Abbey service is due to have foreign royals and Philip's wider family and friends visit along with 500 representatives from his patronages and charities.

The British Government, the devolved administrations, the armed forces, High Commissioners and the overseas territories will have representatives there.

Members of the Queen and the duke's household, representatives from his regimental affiliations in the UK and the Commonwealth, and members of the clergy and other faiths will also be present.

Buckingham Palace said the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, which Philip founded in 1956, will feature prominently.

The Band of the Royal Marines will play before and after the service, in recognition of his connection with the military.