UK: The State Funeral and the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II

The State Funeral and the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II, who died on 8 September 2022, took place on Monday 19 September 2022.

Screen shot of the order of service for the State Funeral.

Screen shot of the order of service for the Committal of Queen Elizabeth II.

Three ceremonies took place on Monday - the State Funeral, the Committal Service and the internment service. The latter was private, and we don't know how many who actually attended it or who. But we know that around 2000 people attended the State Funeral.

The State Funeral Service at Westminster Abbey was attended by heads of state and overseas government representatives, including members of many foreign royal families, governors general and Realm prime ministers, as the official website describes it. Other representatives of the Realms and the Commonwealth, the Orders of Chivalry including recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross, government, parliament, devolved parliaments and assemblies, the church, and Queen Elizabeth's patronages formed the congregation, along with other public representatives.

The State Funeral service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, David Michael Hoyle. During the Service, the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, read lessons. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, and the Free Churches Moderator, Helen Cameron, said prayers. The sermon was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who also gave the commendation. Finally the Dean of Westminster pronounced the blessing. The Order of Service can be read here.

The Committal service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor was supposed to take place at 4 p.m., but was delayed by at least 40 minutes. The King and Queen, other members of the British royal family and representatives of other royal families were in attendance, besides past and present members of The Queen’s Household, including members  from the private estates, as stated by the official website. Also in attendance were governors general and Realm prime ministers. 

The service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, David John Conner, with prayers said by the Rector of Sandringham, Paul Williams, the Minister of Crathie Kirk, Kenneth Mackenzie, and the Chaplain of Windsor Great Park, Martin Poll. 

Prior to the final hymn, the Imperial state crown, the orb and the sceptre was removed from the Queen's coffin and placed on the altar. At the end of the final hymn, King Charles placed the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. At the same time, The Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Parker of Minsmere (Andrew David Parker), «broke» his Wand of Office and placed it on the coffin.

When the Queen's coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor said a psalm and the commendation before the Garter King of Arms, David Vines White, pronounced HM Quen Elizabeth II's styles and titles.

The Sovereign’s Piper, Paul Burns, played a Lament and the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced the blessing. The national anthem was sung at the conclusion of the Service. The Order of Service can be read here.

It was a day I will remember for ever, and I am pleased that I decided to take the day off to witness the events of the day on TV. It was a most dignified fare well of a very much belowed sovereign. The services were simple and magnificent at the same time. All the people along the route from Westminster Abbey to Windsor Castle. The procession at the Long Walk heading up to Windsor ... the removal of the crown, the orb and the sceptre from the coffin was very moving, as was listening to the national anthem being sung at the end of the service. 

A summary of the services can be read from the Court Circular 19 September 2022:

Buckingham Palace

The Coffin bearing The late Queen Elizabeth II was conveyed from Westminster Hall on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy this morning, drawn by Naval Ratings, and flanked by His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and The King's Body Guard for Scotland (the Royal Company of Archers), followed by The King, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal, The Duke of Gloucester, the Earl of Snowdon and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and thence to Westminster Abbey.

The Lord Great Chamberlain, the Earl Marshal, the Lord Speaker and Speaker witnessed the departure of the Coffin bearing Her late Majesty from the Palace of Westminster.

The State Funeral of The late Queen Elizabeth II was held in Westminster Abbey today at 11 o'clock.

The Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre surmounted the Coffin of Her late Majesty.

The King and The Queen Consort, The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Mr. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank and Mr. Jack Brooksbank, The Earl and Countess of Wessex with the Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Mr. Peter Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tindall, The Earl of Snowdon, Viscount Linley and The Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Mr. Daniel and The Lady Sarah Chatto, Mr. Samuel Chatto and 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Chatto, RM, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Earl and Countess of Ulster with Lord Culloden and The Lady Cosima Windsor, The Lady Davina Lewis with Miss Senna Lewis, Mr. George and The Lady Rose Gilman with Miss Lyla Gilman, The Duke of Kent, Earl and Countess of St. Andrews, The Lord Nicholas Windsor with Master Albert Windsor and Master Leopold Windsor, Mr. Timothy and The Lady Helen Taylor with Mr. Columbus Taylor, Mr. Cassius Taylor, Miss Estella Taylor and Miss Eloise Taylor, Lord Downpatrick, The Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, The Lady Amelia Windsor, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, The Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, Mr. Thomas and The Lady Gabriella Kingston, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, Mr. and Mrs. James Ogilvy, Mr. Alexander Ogilvy, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Vesterberg, Miss Marina Ogilvy, Miss Zenouska Mowatt and Mr. Christian Mowatt.

Members of Foreign Royal Families and other Dignitaries, the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps and Senior High Commissioners, Heads of Mission and other Foreign Representatives attended.

The Dean of Westminster conducted the Service and pronounced the Blessing.

The Archbishop of Canterbury preached the Sermon and offered the Commendatory Prayer.

His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and The King's Body Guard for Scotland (the Royal Company of Archers) were on duty.

The King's Guard was turned out with the State Colour on the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

A Guard of Honour found by the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, with the Band of the Royal Marines was formed up in Parliament Square.

After the Service the Coffin bearing The late Queen Elizabeth II was conveyed from Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner.

The Coffin bearing Her late Majesty was transferred from the State Gun Carriage to the State Hearse and thence to Windsor Castle.

The Committal Service for The late Queen Elizabeth II took place in St. George's Chapel today at 4 o'clock.

The Members of the Royal Family were present.

List of attendees

It has not been easy to compile a survey of people who attended the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey and/or the Committal Service at the St. Georges's Chapel at Windsor. I watched both events, but the cameras didn't focus much on the foreign royal families and other dignitaries. I have taken most names from various newspapers, including The Telegraph and The Guardian, but have also depended on Wikipedia and contributions on the website Nobiliana.de as well as on Twitter from Arabian Royal Agency, Rodrigo, Lucas Szkopinski and Netty Leistra (Netty Royal) among others. Some only attended the state funeral, others only the committal service, while others again, like Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan only attended the reception at Buckingham Palace the day before the funeral. I have tried to focus on the royals and royal relations, but have also included some of the dignitaries, mainly from the Commonwealth and from Europe. Most of the list consist of attendees at the State Funeral, I should add. I am sure there are mistakes and important omissions - please tell if I have mentioned some who were not present. Not all the media reports have been accurate. 

The British Royal Family (and relatives)

• King  Charles III and Queen Camilla
• The Prince and Princess of Wales
• Prince George of Wales
• Princess Charlotte of Wales
• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
• The Duke of York
• Sarah, Duchess of York
• Princess Beatrice of York & Mr Edo Mapelli Mozzi,
• Princess Eugenie of York & Mr Jack Brooksbank
• The Earl & Countess of Wessex and Forfar,
• Louise Mountbatten-Windsor 
• Viscount Severn
• The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) & Sir Timothy Laurence, 
• Peter Phillips
• Savannah Phillips (only the committal service) 
• Miss Isla Phillips (only the committal service)
• Zara and Mike Tindall 
• Mia Tindall (only the committal service) 
• The Earl of Snowdon
• Viscount Linley
• Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones
• Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto
• Samuel Chatto
• Arthur Chatto
• The Duke & Duchess of Gloucester, 
• The Earl and Countess of Ulster,
• Lord Culloden 
• Lady Cosima Windsor 
• Lady Davina Windsor 
• Senna Lewis
• Lady Rose and George Gilman 
• Lyla Gilman
• The Duke of Kent
• The Earl and Countess of St. Andrews
• Lord Downpatrick
• Lady Marina Charlotte Windsor
• Lady Amelia Windsor
• Lord Nicholas Windsor
• Albert Windsor
• Leopold Windsor
• Lady Helen Taylor and & Tim Taylor
• Columbus Taylor
• Cassius Taylor
• Eloise Taylor
• Estella Taylor
• Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
• Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Sophie Windsor
• Lady Gabriella Kingston and Tom Kingston
• Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy
• James Ogilvy and Julia Ogilvy
• Alexander Ogilvy
• Flora Vesterberg and Tim Vesterberg
• Marina Ogilvy
• Christian Mowatt
• Zenouska Mowatt
• The Duke and Duchess of Fife 
• Countess Mountbatten of Burma
• Alexandra Hooper and Tom Hooper
• Lady Pamela Hicks
  India Flint Wood
• Edwina Hicks

Reigning European royal and princely houses

• King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians
• Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
• Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
• Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sofie of Liechtenstein
• Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
• Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco
• King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
• Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands
• King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
• King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
• King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain
• King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden

Former European royal and princely houses

• Margravine Valerie of Baden
• Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden
• King Simeon II of the Bulgarians
• Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
• Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece
• Princess Theodora of Greece (service at Windsor only)
• Landgrave Donatus and Landgravine Floria of Hesse
• Prince Philipp and Princess Saskia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
• Princess Xenia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
• Princess Margarita of Romania and Radu Duda
• Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia

Royal and princely houses outside Europe

• The Crown Prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
• King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
• The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien II
• Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei
• Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan
• King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan 
• Princess Haya bint Hussein of Jordan (committal service only)
• Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan (committal service only)
• The Crown Prince of Kuwait, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
• King Letsie III of Lesotho
• The Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI (King) of Malaysia, Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, and the Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen), Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah
• Prince Moulay Rashid of Morocco
• The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
• The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani
• Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Al Thani of Qatar and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad
• Sheikha Amna Bint Mohammed Al Thani 
• Prince Faisal bin Turki of Saudi Arabia
• King Tupoi VI of Tonga
• The Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai

Others

• The Māori King, Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII and Makau Ariki Te Atawhai

A selection of other dignitaries

United Kingdom

• The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Liz Truss and Hugh O'Leary
• Leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer

Former British prime ministers

• Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds
• Theresa May and Sir Philip May
• David Cameron and Samantha Cameron
• George Brown and Sarah Brown
• Tony Blair and Cherie Blair
• John  Major and Norma Major

Other dignitaries

• The President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, and the First Lady, Armanda Begaj
• The Co-Prince of Andorra, Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sicília 
• The Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, Sir Rodney Williams and Lady Williams
• The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne
• The President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan
• The Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley and Linda Hurley
• The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon
• The President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen and First Lady Doris Schmidauer
• The Governor-General of the Bahamas, Sir Cornelius A. Smith,
• The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis
• The  Governor-General of Belize, Froyla Tzalam and Daniel Mendez
• The Governor of Bermuda, Rena Lalgie
• The Premier of Bermuda, E. David Burt
• The President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro and the First Lady, Michelle Bolsonaro
• The President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev and the First Lady, Desislava Radeva
• The Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, and Whit Fraser
• Michaëlle Jean, former Governor General of Canada
• David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada
• The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau
• The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland
• The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović and the First Lady, Sanja Musić Milanović
• The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala
• The President of Estonia, Alar Karis and the First Lady, Sirje Karis
• The President of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde 
• The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
• The President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö and the First Lady Jenni Haukio
• The President of France, Emmanuel Macron (also Co-Prince of Andorra) and Brigitte Macron
• The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili
• The President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the First Lady, Elke Büdenbender
• The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou
• The Governor-General of Grenada, Cécile La Grenade
• The Secretary of State of the Holy See, Bishop Paul Gallagher
• The President of Hungary, Katalin Novák and the First Gentleman, István Attila Veres
• The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and the First Lady, Eliza Reid
• The Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin and Sabina Higgins
• The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog and the First Lady, Michal Herzog
• The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella
• The Governor General of Jamaica, Sir Patrick Allen
• The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness
• The President of Kenya, William Ruto
• The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani and the First Gentleman, Prindon Sadriu
• The President of Latvia, Egils Levits and the First Lady, Andra Levite
• The President of Lithuania and the First Lady, Diana Nausėdienė
• The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu
• The President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović and the First Lady, Lidija Đukanović
• The Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy Kiro
• Silvia Cartwright, former Governor-General of New Zealand
• The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford
• The President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski and the First Lady, Elizabeta Gjorgievska
• The Governor General of Papua New Guinea, H.E. Sir Bob Dadae 
• The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape
• The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda and the First Lady, Agata Kornhauser-Duda
• The President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa 
• The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis and the First Lady, Carmen Iohannis
• The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Denzil Douglas
• The Acting Governor-General of Saint Lucia, Errol Charles 
• The Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Susan Dougan
• The Head of State of Samoa, H.H. Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II
• The Captains Regent of San Marino, Oscar Mina and Paolo Rondelli
• The Governor General of Solomon Islands, H.E. Sir David Vunagi
• The President of Slovakia, Zuzana Čaputová
• The President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor 
• The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa
• The President of South Korea Yoon Suk-yeol and the First Lady Kim Keon-hee
• The President of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis
• The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluh
• The Governor General of Tuvalu, H.E. Tofinga Vaevalu Falani
• The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Tuvalu Kausea Natano 
• The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska
• The President of the USA, Joe Biden and the First Lady, Jill Biden

UK: Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

The Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place at Westminster Abbey in London today. The funeral service took place on 17 April 2021 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, but only 30 people were allowed to attend due to the pandemic and the Covid-19 protocol. Today around 1800 people were allowed to celebrate the life of Prince Philip, among them numerous members of the British and other European Royal Families. 

In attendance were among others:

United Kingdom

• Queen Elizabeth II
• The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
• Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
• The Duke of York
• Princess Beatrice and Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi
• Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
• The Earl and Countess of Wessex
• Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn
• The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) and Sir Tim Laurence
• The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
• The Duke of Kent
• Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

(In attendance were also members of Princess Anne's and the late Princess Margaret's family among others.)

Bahrain

• Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Belgium

• King Philippe and Queen Mathilde

Denmark

• Queen Margrethe II

Jordan

• Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath El Hassan

Luxembourg

• Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

Monaco

• Prince Albert II

The Netherlands

• King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima
• Princess Beatrix

Spain

• King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia

Sweden

• King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia
• Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnusson

Former monarchies

Baden

• Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden

Bulgaria

• Prince Kyril, Prince of Preslav

Greece

• Queen Anne-Marie
• Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal 
• Prince Philippos and Princess Nina

Hesse

• Landgrave Donatus and Landgravine Floria

Hohenlohe-Langenburg

• Prince Philipp and Princess Saskia

Romania

• Princess Margareta (styled Custodian of the Romanian Crown) and Prince Radu of Romania

Serbia (Yugoslavia)

• Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine 

As earlier announced, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway had to cancel their attendance because the king was not well enough after testing positive for Covid-19 last week.

Among the British dignitaries were the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Honourable Dame Eleanor Laing and The Lord Speaker, the Lord McFall of Alcluith, Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP and his wife,  the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Andrew Smith and the Lady Mayoress Salma Shah.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle. The Order of Service can be read here.

UK: Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee

King George VI (1895-1952). Photo: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-matpc-14736/Wikimedia Commons.

Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: 2015  Joel Rouse (Ministry of Defence), and nagualdesign/Wikimedia Commons.

Today, 6 February 2022, it is 70 years since the death of King George VII of the United Kingdom, a day which naturally also marks the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II.

On the eve of her platinum jubilee, Sandringham House, where the queen is currently residing, issued the following statement:

Tomorrow, 6th February, marks the 70th anniversary of my Accession in 1952. It is a day that, even after 70 years, I still remember as much for the death of my father, King George VI, as for the start of my reign.

As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service.

As I look ahead with a sense of hope and optimism to the year of my Platinum Jubilee, I am reminded of how much we can be thankful for. These last seven decades have seen extraordinary progress socially, technologically and culturally that have benefitted us all; and I am confident that the future will offer similar opportunities to us and especially to the younger generations in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth.

I am fortunate to have the steadfast and loving support of my family. I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it. It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father's reign.

This anniversary also affords me a time to reflect on the goodwill shown to me by people of all nationalities, faiths and ages in this country and around the world over these years. I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me. And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.

And so as I look forward to continuing to serve you with all my heart, I hope this Jubilee will bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities – after some difficult times for so many of us – in order to enjoy the celebrations and to reflect on the positive developments in our day-to-day lives that have so happily coincided with my reign.

The statement was signed «Your Servant Elizabeth R». Earlier today the Prince of Wales  followed up with his own statement from Clarence House:

On this historic day, my wife and I join you all in congratulating Her Majesty The Queen on the remarkable achievement of serving this nation, the Realms and Commonwealth for seventy years. The Queen's devotion to the welfare of all her people inspires still greater admiration with each passing year. 

We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother's wish. As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout. 

The year of this unprecedented Platinum Jubilee brings an opportunity for us all to come together in celebrating the service of The Queen, by whose example we will continue to be led in the years to come.

There have been many reactions to the queen's statement since it was released yesterday, fortunately most of them have been positive. The Duchess of Cornwall has not put a foot wrong since she married the Prince of Wales in 2005. She has been a great support to her husband and served her Queen and country well, something that is confirmed by the queen's wish. In 2005 before the Prince of Wales married Camilla Parker Bowes, née Shand, it was stated that upon the accession of the Prince of Wales, Camilla would use the unprecedented title Princess Consort, even if  by authority in English common law she was

entitled to become Queen (Consort). In the same way Camilla has since her second marriage been referred to by the (secondary) title Duchess of Cornwall instead of Princess of Wales. even if she is entitled to the latter. The reason for this decision was make the marriage more acceptable to the public following the circumstances surrounding the marriage of the Prince of Wales and the former Lady Diana Spencer and the latter's tragic death in 1997. I felt at the time that the decision to use the title Duchess of Cornwall was understandable given the situation, but I always hoped and also expected that Camilla would become Queen at the accession of the Prince of Wales. Diana, Princess of Wales would never have become Queen anyway following the divorce, so the title «Princess Consort», despite the circumstances, made less sense to me. I am pleased that it has now been sorted out.

But the title discussion should not in any way overshadow the platinum jubilee. Hats off to the British queen for her many, many years of service to her country and people!

To celebrate a platinum jubilee is not common for any monarch. Queen Elizabeth will most likely pass both Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein, who reigned for 70 years and 91 days as well as King Bhumibol Adulyadej  (Rama IX) of Thailand, who reigned for 70 years and 126 days, during the jubilee. The queen is currently in her 96th year, but we cannot rule out the possibility that she will live to pass King Louis XIV of France's record of 72 years and 110 days on 28 May 2024 ...

Details of the plans for the Platinum Jubilee can be read at the British Royal Family's official website.

UK: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021)

Buckingham Palace announced on Friday 9 April 2021 the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II:

It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.

Further announcements will be made in due course.  

The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.   

Prince Philip (Filippos), who died two months short of his 100th birthday, was born on at Corfu in Greece on 10 June 1921 as the fifth and youngest child and only son of Prince Andreas of Greece (1882–1944) and Princess Alice, née Princess of Battenberg (1885–1969). In 1922 the family was forced into excile and Prince Philip grew up in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. After leaving Gordonstoun School in Scotland in 1939 he joined the British Royakl Navy and served in the British forces during WW2. In 1947 Prince Philip was naturalized as a British subject, he abandoned his Greek and Danish royal titles (there is till a question mark on how this was made legal in Greece and Denmark) and took the surname Mountbatten (an Anglization of his mother's Battenberg family name). On 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey, London he married Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom. from 1952 Queen Elizabeth II, eldest daughter of King George VII (1895–1952) and Queen Elizabeth, née Bowes-Lyon (1900–2002). He received the style Royal Highness and was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich. In 1957 he was created Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Prince Philip left behind his wife of 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II, his four children Charles (the Prince of Wales), Anne (the Princess Royal), Andrew (the Duke of York) and Edward (the Earl of Wessex), 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. His titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich were upon his death inherited by the Prince of Wales in accordance with the Letters Patent of 1947). See my blog article of 10 March 2019 for details of the title Duke of Edinburgh, which in due time will be bestowed on the Earl of Wessex.

Prince Philip's death didn't come as a big surprise, as he looked very frail when he left hospital last month. But I kind of expected that he would at least say on and have his big day on 10 June when he was to turn 100. But unfortunately we lost him yesterday. It is almost impossible to write a blog article which gives justice to such a grand man, who was the longest-serving consort of a British monarch. He dedicated his life to the British Crown and people. When he decided to retire from public life in 2017, we learnt that he had carried out 22,191 solo engagements since 1952. The number speaks volumes. He will perhaps first of all be remembered for his supporting role to Queen Elizabeth. As the Queen said herself during the celebrations of the couple's golden anniversary in 1997: «He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and manybother countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.»

We will remember his smile and sparkle in the eye and all his witty remarks. Yes, he crossed the line a few times, he was far from perfect, but he was first of all a funny and generous man who will be sadly missed by his family and by everyone who cares about the British royal family and monarchy.

Salute

Gun salutes have been fired across the United Kingdom and in Gibraltar at noon today marking the death of Prince Philip. The British always do it proplerly, as described in The Telegraph: «Saluting batteries began firing 41 rounds at one round every minute from midday on Saturday in cities including London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, as well from Royal Navy warships.»

Tributes

Current and former heads of state, other diginitaries and politicians all over the world have expressed their condolences following the news of Prince Philip's death. The statement at the website of the Norwegian Royal Family said yesterday:

The Duke of Edinburgh

The Royal Family has received the news that His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh has passed away with great sorrow.

“Our thoughts are with Queen Elizabeth and the rest of her family. We also send our condolences to the British people,” said His Majesty King Harald.

His Majesty has decided that a flag will be flown at half-mast from the Palace balcony today and on the day of the funeral.

Sweden: 

Following the death of HRH The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh HM The King has made a statement:

The Queen and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip has been a great friend of our family for many years, a relation which we have deeply valued.

His service to his country will remain an inspiration to us all.

We offer our sincere condolences to Her Majesty The Queen, The Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom.

CARL GUSTAF

The Queen of Denmark has also sent her condolences to Queen Elizabeth. The head of the Serbian Royal Family, Crown Prince Alexander, has paid the following tributes:

Their Royal Highnesses saddened by the passing of Prince Philip

TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine and the entire Royal Family received with great sadness the news that HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, godmother of the Crown Prince, passed away today.

The whole life of Prince Philip was dedicated to the service of the British Crown and the people. He is survived by his wife, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, four children, eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Prince Philip was the son of the Greek and Danish Prince Andrew, the brother of the Greek King Constantine, the maternal great-grandfather of the Crown Prince Alexander.

Crown Prince Alexander and the Royal Family had a good cousin, a sincere friend in the late Duke, whose memory will live forever. His departure will create a great void in the hearts of all who knew him.

The British Prime minister, Boris Johnson, gave a televised statement which can be read here. He said among others that «Prince Philip earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth and around the world.» 

The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, expressed among others: «A man of great service to others – first as a decorated naval officer and later as a dedicated leader in the areas of community engagement and philanthropy – the Duke always sought out the best in people and challenged them to strive for greater heights.» 

Australia's prime minister Scott Morrison said: «Your Majesty, here in Australia, and indeed across the world, your Commonwealth family joins in your sorrow and your mourning and that of your family. But also, we give thanks for the life of who you described as your strength and your stay. Your Prince, Prince Philip. Husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. The Duke's life was one of duty and of service, of loyalty and of honour. Memories of him will of course tell stories of his candour, and a unique and forceful and authentic personality. But above all, he was a man who was steadfast, who could be relied upon, always standing by his Queen.»

President Joe Biden gave the following statement:

On behalf of all the people of the United States, we send our deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the entire Royal Family, and all the people of the United Kingdom on the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Over the course of his 99-year life, he saw our world change dramatically and repeatedly. From his service during World War II, to his 73 years alongside the Queen, and his entire life in the public eye — Prince Philip gladly dedicated himself to the people of the UK, the Commonwealth, and to his family. The impact of his decades of devoted public service is evident in the worthy causes he lifted up as patron, in the environmental efforts he championed, in the members of the Armed Forces that he supported, in the young people he inspired, and so much more. His legacy will live on not only through his family, but in all the charitable endeavors he shaped.

Jill and I are keeping the Queen and Prince Philip’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in our hearts during this time.

Every living former US presidents have also expressed their condolences, as summed up on the website of BBC News.

Selected obituaries

• The Telegraph
• The Guardian
• BBC News

Funeral

Details of Prince Philip's funeral have yet to be published. According to his own wishes, it will be a relatively low-key service at the St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Covid-19 restrictions will also hae an impact on the service and the number of people attending will be smaller than originally planned. The prince will first be interred in the royal family vault beneath the chapel, and then later be transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel following the death of the queen.

Updated on Thursday 15 April 2021 at 20:15 (more precise details concerning Prince Philip's interment added).

UK: HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge

The news that the newborn daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (and to be known as HRH Princess Charlotte of Cambridge) seems to have been received well.

The name Charlotte has deep roots in British royal history, with Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), wife of King George III (1738-1820), and Princess Charlotte (1796-1817), who in 1816 married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (who in 1831 became King of the Belgians), as two of many examples. Many has also pointed out that Charlotte is the feminine form of Charles, so even if one cannot know for certain the motivation behind the chosen names, it is easy to conclude that the baby has been named after her grandfather the Prince of Wales. In addition, the mother of the Duchess of Cambridge has the name Carole, which is one of several variations of Charlotte. And finally, the duchess' sister is named Philippa Charlotte.

The second name Elizabeth is also rather obvious, as the baby's great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II wears that name. Not to mention the baby's great-great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, née Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). As mentioned in my previous article, the Duchess of Cambridge's mother has Elizabeth as her second given name. And finally Diana, named after the late Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997), mother of the Duke of Cambridge.

On Buckingham Palace's official Facebook page The British Monarchy, one could today read that "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have formally registered the birth of Princess Charlotte. The Duke of Cambridge signed the birth register at Kensington Palace this afternoon, witnessed by a Registrar from Westminster Register Office."

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in Norway

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arriving at the Nobel Peace Center together with the King and Queen of Norway. The Queen is shaking hands with Eskil Pedersen, chairperson of the Workers' Youth Leage.

The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles of the United Kingdom) and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Oslo today for a three-day visit. The princely couple is touring Norway, Sweden and Denmark as part of the commemorative activities marking the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The main celebration will take place in June 2012.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived at Oslo Airport Gardermoen at 1.40 p.m. and were received by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Later the princely couple were accompanied by King Harald and Queen Sonja at the traditional wreath laying ceremony at Akershus Fortress. The Prince of Wales then met Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in the official PM residence, before the princely couple and the king and queen of Norway arrived at the Nobel Peace Center just before 4 p.m. The purpose of this visit was to meet survivors from the attack at Utøya on 22 July last year and other Norwegian youth leaders. I was present outside the centre when the royals arrived (I was not close enough to get any decent photos, though). The number of spectators was not that impressive - it might be because the details of the program was released only at 10.30 today - but the spring weather was lovely, and the Duchess of Cornwall received most cheers.

In the evening King Harald and Queen Sonja hosted an official banquet in honour of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Royal Palace in the presence of 74 guests. Among them were Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and Princess Astrid Mrs. Ferner.

The visit continues at Bergen tomorrow. More details of the visit can be viewed at Kongehuset.no. The website includes links to a photo album, which is being updated continously, and the speech King Harald V held at the banquet tonight. The complete press program can be viewed here (pdf, in Norwegian). See also VG.no, Dagbladet.no, Aftenposten.no and NRK.no for articles and more photos.

On Thursday 22 March the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will continue their roundtrip in Sweden, before moving on to Denmark on 24 March. Details of these visits can be viewed here, here and here (Sweden; the last link goes to the British Embassy's website) and here and here (Denmark; the last link goes to the English version).

Postscript 3 April 2012: One of the photos I took outside the Nobel Peace Center turned out to be not that bad after all, so I added it tonight.

Updated on Tuesday 3 April 2012 at 23:30 (photo and postscript added, typo corrected).

New personal flags for the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge for use in Canada

In connection with the ongoing visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada, two new royal flags created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority and approved by HM Queen Elizabeth II, were unveiled.

The Governor General of Canada, Rt.Hon. David Johnston was pleased with the unveiling, and gave the following statement at the official website:

These new flags created for The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge are magnificent expressions of our constitutional monarchy and heritage. [...] As we prepare to welcome Their Royal Highnesses to experience this marvelous country, I am sure that many Canadians will take great interest in these new emblems. As head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, I am delighted with the work of our Canadian heralds in preparing these designs.

According to the information provided by the Office of the Governor General, the two new flags are based on HM The Queen's personal flag for use in Canada (image 3), which uses the Royal Arms of Canada as its basis. Since the flag was adopted in 1962, Her Majesty has been the only member to have a flag for use in Canada.

According to the fact sheet on the personal flags presented this week, the designs were - as already stated - developed by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, "working with the households of Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge". The personal heraldic flags are used during travelling in Canada.

The new flag of the Prince of Wales (image 1) is described as follows: "The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of golden maple leaves for Canada. The centre features the badge commonly known as The Prince of Wales's feathers, used by the heir apparent to the Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is the traditional heraldic mark of an eldest male child, the three-point white label."

The new flag of the Duke of Cambridge (image 2): "The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of golden maple leaves for Canada, and of shells, a symbol borrowed from his coat of arms. The centre features his Cypher, composed of the letter "W" with a coronet above it that indicates he is the child of the heir apparent to the Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is the personal three-point white label charged with a red shell, taken from his coat of arms."

The flag of HM The Queen (image 3): "The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of roses in gold. The centre features her Cypher, composed of the letter 'E' with the Royal Crown above it, also in gold."

All the flags use the Royal Arms of Canada, in banner form, as their basis.