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Prince Philip's funeral burial place will not be his permanent one

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

Following last week's sad news that Prince Philip has passed away, the arrangements for his COVID-secure funeral are now firmed up, and he will be laid to rest this weekend (Saturday 17 April) in a service at St George's Chapel in Windsor.

Buckingham Palace have now confirmed which 30 members of the royal family and long-serving staff will attend the funeral in accordance with current coronavirus restrictions. All mourners from separate households will be seated at least two metres away from one another, meaning the Queen will sit alone during the 50-minute service, and everyone will be wearing masks. Following the funeral procession and subsequent service, Prince Philip will be laid to rest, however it's believed this will not be his final resting place.

So where will Prince Philip be buried?

Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Philip will be interred in the Royal Vault in St George's Chapel. As the coffin is lowered into the vault, which is underground, the National Anthem will be sung by a four-person choir and a Blessing will be given by The Archbishop of Canterbury.

Are there any other royals buried at St George's Chapel?

King Henry VIII, who ruled from 1509-1547, was laid to rest in St George's Chapel alongside one of his six wives, Jane Seymour. Charles I, who ruled from 1625 until his execution in 1649, is also buried here.

In the Royal Vault, where Prince Philip will be interred, several other members of the historical Royal Family rest. These include King George III and his wife Queen Charlotte, along with their daughter Princess Amelia, among others.

Will the Queen be buried here too?

As per royal tradition, funerals and burials are planned well in advance of the person’s actual passing. That means the location of the Queen’s final resting place has likely already been decided. It's reported that when Queen Elizabeth passes away, she will be laid to rest alongside her father, King George VI, and the Queen Mother, in Windsor - at the King George VI memorial chapel. While this is also located in St George's Chapel, it is different to the Royal Vault. This chapel also houses the ashes of the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, who requested a cremation as opposed to a burial.

There is, of course, the possibility that Her Majesty may alternatively be buried at Westminster Abbey, or at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. Wherever the Queen is laid to rest, considering she and her beloved Prince Philip shared almost 74 years of marriage together, it's assumed that they will end up being buried together, which means the Duke of Edinburgh's final resting place will likely be moved in the coming years. The Queen famously referred to her husband as her "strength and stay," so it seems fitting that they would lie in rest with one another.

Our thoughts are with the whole royal family at this difficult time.

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