The royal aide insists the procession order has nothing to do with family tension as some details of the upcoming royal funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh are revealed.
- Apr 16, 2021
AceShowbiz - Prince William will not be walking side-by-side with his brother Prince Harry in Prince Philip's funeral procession, royal officials have confirmed.
Reports had suggested the brothers, who have endured a strained relationship in recent years, would likely use the opportunity to move past their differences and put on a united front in honour of their late grandfather at his private memorial on Saturday (17Apr21), but a Buckingham Palace spokesman has revealed that will not be the case.
Instead, William will be paired with their cousin, Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, with Harry walking behind them alongside David Armstrong-Jones, the son of the late Princess Margaret and nephew to Queen Elizabeth II, as they escort the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin into St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle at 2.45pm BST.
However, the royal aide insists the procession order has nothing to do with any reported family tensions.
"(It was) a practical change rather than sending a signal," the representative explained on Thursday.
"This is a funeral and we are not going to be drawn into perceptions of drama. The arrangements have been agreed and represent Her Majesty's wishes."
Meanwhile officials have also shared that the Queen will sit alone once inside the chapel, due to coronavirus precautions, and all 30 guests will be required to wear face masks and sit in socially-distanced seats at the scaled-back ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 3pm BST.
The members of the royal family are expected to ditch their military uniform for 'mourning dress' when they pay their final respect to the Duke of Edinburgh, as requested by the Queen.
