Prince Philip’s German Family Members To Be In Attendance At His Funeral Saturday

Given how there barely remains a day for Prince Philip’s funeral, speculations are rife with bigger and jucier developments pertaining to the arrangements on Saturday.

While the Duke of Edinburgh kept his interaction with his German cousins to the minimum all through his lifetime, they will be welcomed at the royal burial. The simple reason being, Philip wanted his ‘blood family’ to be included in his funeral arrangements. The German relatives in question include two great-nephews and a cousin, i.e. Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden; Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

With invites being extended to only 30 extremely close familial connections, the Duke’s German connections are indeed overwhelmed by the honor. “It really is an incredible honor and we are all extremely touched and privileged to be included on behalf of the wider family,” said Prince Philipp, 51, in a statement that was recorded by a media outlet, as cited by Daily Mail, where he remains in self-isolation until the weekend.

The Duke’s funeral marks a historic first on many fronts. From morning coats and day dresses as uniforms in place of military attires in a Queen-approved move to the big reveal of a Land Rover hearse that Philip designed himself, this funeral is anything but a usual royal burial.

The biggest reveal however boils down to fact that Prince William and Prince Harry will not walk beside each other when their grandfather’s coffin is taken to the chapel. As per the royal protocol, the family arrives in pairs. Hence, William will reportedly move ahead of his younger brother when the coffin is taken into the chapel. Queen Elizabeth is said to be accompanied by a lady-in-waiting in a state Bentley and will be seated alone at the St. George’s chapel.

It is believed that all the funeral arrangements, in some way or the other, reflect the deceased Duke’s touch. He is said to have handpicked the insignia, medals and decorations that were to be placed on the altar. Additionally, his carriage-driving companion and close confidantes Countess Mountbatten of Burma will also be joining in the list of mourners. The royal family will continue to remain in mourning for about two weeks, after Saturday's funeral.

The service will be streamed live on Saturday, April 17 at 2:30 p.m. in the UK and 9:30 a.m. in America. As reported on Vanity Fair, In the U.K., BBC One, Sky, and ITN will reportedly air their coverage of the ceremony at 12:30 p.m., while, in America, NBC News is scheduled to broadcast at 9:30 a.m. EST on both their network and their streaming service, NBC News Now. Canadian viewers can access the event on CTV News, which will stream the coverage at 8 am EST. The ceremony will commence with a National Minute’s Silence.