Search icon

News

11th Apr 2021

Boris Johnson will not attend Prince Philip’s funeral

The prime minister will not be in attendance at Prince Philip's funeral, to allow as many close family members to go as possible

Reuben Pinder

The funeral will take place next Saturday

Boris Johnson will not attend Prince Philip’s funeral next weekend, No. 10 have confirmed. The prime minister will miss the service in order to let “as many family members as possible” attend, given the limited numbers due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The public have also been told to stay away from the funeral.

A remembrance service is taking place today, Sunday 11th April, at Canterbury Cathedral, as the UK goes through an official period of mourning that will end next weekend.

The remembrance service is being led by Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who is expected to lead proceedings next weekend too.

A minute’s silence will be held nationwide at 3pm next Saturday to coincide with the start of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.

The 3pm kick-offs in the EFL will also be moved to avoid a clash as a “mark of respect.”

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, will also miss the funeral, after doctors advised a pregnant woman shouldn’t fly across the Atlantic ocean during a pandemic. Probably wise.

Prince Harry, though, will be in attendance and while current rules state that mourners travelling from overseas must self-isolate for ten days on arrival, it is expected that the Duke of Sussex will be allowed to leave his place of quarantine on compassionate grounds to attend the funeral.

The funeral will take place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and will “very much” reflect the Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes.