The queen says goodbye to Philip, continues her reign alone

Sitting by herself at the funeral of Prince Philip on Saturday, Queen Elizabeth cut a regal, but solitary figure: still the monarch, however now alone.

The queen sat apart from family members at the easy but somber ceremony relative to strict social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic. If the ceremony had been for anyone else, at her side would have been her husband of 73 years, who gave an eternity of service to the crown.

Wearing a facemask, the queen was dressed all in black, aside from the precious stone brooch that flashed on her left shoulder - a bit she had often worn on engagements with her husband.

The monarch’s four children and eight grandchildren sat in small groups nearby, throughout a stripped-back service at Windsor Castle that made their loss somehow more personal for folks who often live their lives in public areas. The pandemic has put Britain's royal family in the same position as much others, struggling to give loved kinds the sendoffs they might have wanted.

Just 30 mourners were permitted to attend the service for the prince, who died April 9 at age 99.

“We've been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to your queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith,” the dean of Windsor, David Conner, said in his call to prayer. “Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us; the encouragement that he has given us; his kindness, humor and humanity.”

Philip’s body was carried to St. George’s Chapel at the castle on a Land Rover that the prince himself had specifically designed. It was followed by members of the Royal Family, including Princes William and Harry, who made their first public appearance together since Harry and his wife, Meghan, gave a controversial interview to U.S. television set host Oprah Winfrey where they discussed the difficulties of royal life and the way the two brothers had grown apart.

The procession traversed the lands of Windsor Castle, passing military detachments arrayed under bright blue skies.

The country honored Philip with a minute’s silence observed over the UK at 3 p.m., its beginning and end marked by a gun fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The final shot signaled the beginning of a funeral service steeped in military and royal tradition, but infused with the duke's personality.

In the medieval Gothic chapel, the setting for years and years of royal weddings and funerals, this service was quiet and without excessive pageantry. Philip was deeply involved with planning the ceremony. At his request, there was no sermon. There have been also no eulogies or readings, commensurate with royal tradition.

Former Bishop of London Richard Chartres, who knew Philip well, said the 50-minute service reflected the preferences of the prince, who was a guy of faith but liked what to be succinct.

“He was aware of broad church, high church and low church, but what he really liked was short church,” Chartres told the BBC.

The monarch offered her own touches to the day. Ahead of the funeral, Buckingham Palace released a picture of the queen and Philip, smiling and relaxing on blankets in the grass in the Scottish Highlands in 2003. The palace said the casual, unposed photo was a favorite of the queen.

Early in the day, a few local residents left flowers beyond your castle, though a lot of people heeded requests from the palace and police to stay away due to the pandemic.

The funeral procession and the service itself occurred out of public view, within the lands of the castle, a 950-year-old royal residence 20 miles (about 30 kilometers) west of London. It had been broadcast go on television.

The day’s events started at 11 a.m., when Philip’s coffin was moved from the royal family’s private chapel to the Inner Hall of Windsor Castle, where it rested before procession began. The coffin was draped with Philip’s personal standard, topped along with his Admiral of the Fleet Naval Cap and sword. The sword was given to him by his father-in-law, King George VI, on the occasion of his marriage to the queen in 1947.

Composing a wreath atop the coffin were flowers chosen by the queen, including white lilies, small white roses, white freesia, white wax flower, white sweet peas and jasmine. An email from the monarch was attached, but its contents weren't disclosed.

The funeral reflected Philip’s military ties, both as the ceremonial commander of several units and as a veteran of the Royal Navy who served with distinction during World War II. More than 700 military personnel took part in the commemorative events, including army bands, Royal Marine buglers and an honor guard drawn from across the armed forces.

The military also sent wreaths of flowers that were laid outside St. George’s chapel, some with handwritten notes. One said the Royal Marines wished to pay their respects to a guy “who stood with us and in our midst for 64 years.”

Lieutenant Gen. Roland Walker, regimental lieutenant colonel of the Grenadier Guards, said his unit was honored to participate as a result of its close relationship with the prince. Philip served as regimental colonel of the guards, its honorary leader, for 42 years.

“This is a privilege,” he told the BBC. “Because my understanding is he planned this, so we’re here because he wanted us to be here, and that, I believe, right down to the junior guardsmen, is an acknowledged fact.’’

Philip and the queen’s children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - walked behind the hearse along with other members of the Royal Family, most of whom wore civilian clothes at the queen's request. The queen followed in a Bentley.

William and Harry were the main nine-member royal contingent, although their cousin, Peter Phillips, walked between them. There was no obvious tension between the brothers, whose relationship has been strained since Harry’s decision to give up royal duties and proceed to California. Following the service, they walked back again to the castle together, seeming to chat amiably.

The look of them at the service stirred memories of the 1997 funeral of Princess Diana, when William and Harry, then 15 and 12, walked behind their mother’s coffin accompanied by Philip.

In honor of Philip’s military service, several components of the funeral had a maritime theme, like the hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” which is connected with seafarers and seeks protection “for all those in peril on the ocean.”

As Philip’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault, Royal Marine buglers sounded “Action Stations,” an alarm that alerts sailors to get ready for battle - contained in the service at Philip’s request. He'll rest there, at least before queen's death, alongside the remains of 24 other royals, including King George III, whose reign included the years of the American Revolution. The queen and Philip are expected to be buried together in the Royal Burial Ground on the Frogmore Estate near to Windsor Castle.

For decades, Philip was a fixture of British life, renowned for his founding of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards program that encouraged youths to challenge themselves and for a blunt-spoken manner that sometimes included downright offensive remarks. He lived in his wife’s shadow, but his death has sparked a reflection about his role, and new appreciation from many in Britain.

“To be perfectly honest I didn’t understand the extent (of) what his life had been, what he previously done for all of us all,” said Viv Davies, who came to pay her respects in Windsor. “He was a marvelous husband, wasn’t he, to the queen and the kids? Just remarkable - and I don’t think we will see the like again.”