Her Majesty has been ‘actively involved’ in every detail of the plans for Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service in Westminster Abbey
The Queen on Tuesday fulfilled the Duke of Edinburgh’s final wishes with a moving service of thanksgiving, incorporating the hymns, themes and guests he was denied in his Covid-19 lockdown funeral.
The Queen has been “actively involved” in every detail of the plans for the Westminster Abbey service, which included flowers paying tribute to their wedding day, honoured guests from his hundreds of charities, and the rousing sound of the full congregation singing Guide me, O thou great Redeemer.
Several of his requests for his own funeral, planned long in advance, finally come to pass, with the young people of his Duke of Edinburgh awards taking centre stage.
The Queen attended the service in person, entering via Poet’s Corner for a short walk to her seat and a 45-minute-long service to maximise her comfort.
The Duke’s older great-grandchildren attended giving the younger generation of his family the chance to honour their much-loved great-grandfather.
Only 30 people were allowed to attend his funeral in April, where the Queen sat alone in line with coronavirus rules.
The service of thanksgiving is intended to allow the Duke’s wider friends and family, as well as hundreds of people connected to his charity patronages, the chance to come together in loving memory and admiration of his 99 years.
The Queen’s personal touch was felt during the service, with the orchids that formed part of her 1947 wedding bouquet being incorporated into small posies of flowers.
The spiky blue flowers of eryngium, known as sea holly, represented the Duke’s naval career and lifelong affection for the sea, in larger floral arrangements which have been thought through in meticulous detail.
All flowers were red, white or blue, in a final act of patriotism from the Duke who gave up his naval career for a life of public service.
The event, which was attended by more than 30 members of foreign Royal families as well as all senior working members of the British Royal Family, was broadcast on BBC One.
Other notable guests included Sir David Attenborough, who has known the Duke and Queen for much of their working lives after producing Her Majesty’s Christmas broadcast for the BBC and finding kinship over their shared love of the natural world.
Dame Floella Benjamin, the broadcaster who has said he was “kind and supportive to me on many occasions” and Baroness Grey-Thompson, the chairperson of trustees of the UK Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme who last year described the programme as a “testament to his imagination and thoughtfulness”.
The Duke of York accompanied the Queen to the Abbey as his daughters and sons-in-law were present . The Duchess of York was absent, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The service saw the Duke celebrated for his “gifts of character; for his humour and resilience; his fortitude and devotion to duty”.
The congregation also heard of his “service as a Consort, liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship to Her Majesty”, of his “devotion to family, to nation and to Commonwealth” and of his “strength and constancy”.
Duke's 'energy and spirit of adventure' to be celebrated
In particular, the congregation celebrated his “energy and spirit of adventure”, both in working with the young to improve their chances in life and his “good stewardship of the environment”.
His interest in bringing different religions together will be reflected in a guest list from numerous “faith communities”, as well as his charities.
An address was be given by 28-year-old Doyin Sonibare, who attained her Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards through her youth club in Barking, London, and credits them with changing her life and prospects.
Nine recent Gold Award holders lined the Abbey steps as guests arrive, along with young members of the UK Cadet Force Associations.
The Duke became Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force in 1953, and was particularly proud of his influence in changing the lives of young people through practical programmes.
He also hoped to include something of his active role in running the Royal Estates of Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral, which will be represented by three of the Queen’s domestic chaplains - one from each estate - offering prayers.
While the Duke’s funeral service took place without hymns from the congregation, with singing banned under lockdown rules, the 1,800-strong congregation were invited to sing Guide me, O thou great Redeemer.
The hymn had been part of plans for the funeral drawn up pre-Covid, code-named “Forth Bridge”, at the Duke’s specific request.
The Duke had also asked for the choir to sing Te Deum in C by Benjamin Britten. The eclectic list of music included the moving Pacific theme by Blake Neely and Hans Zimmer, composed for a television mini-series about a US marine corps fighting in the Pacific during the Second World War.
The final piece of music, The Seafarers, was played by The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth as the guests depart Westminster Abbey.
The service was sung by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey, and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace.
The Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend David Hoyle, also conducted the service and gave the bidding describing the late Duke as "a man of rare ability and distinction, rightly honoured and celebrated, he ever directed our attention away from himself".
"Working at pace, with so many claims on his attention, he encouraged us to focus, as he was focused, on the things that matter," he will say.
More than 200 of Duke's charities were represented
"His was a discipline and character that seized opportunity and overcame obstruction and difficulty.
"We recall, with affection and respect, the sustained offering of a long life lived fully."
The Right Reverend David Conner, the Dean of Windsor who led the funeral service, gave the address, and the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Blessing
More than 200 of the Duke’s charities were represented, with two guests invited from each.
They range from the Royal College of Physicians and The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Worldwide Fund for Nature to the Crathie Cricket Club, the Garrick Club and the Guinea Pig Club with its membership of men who had experimental plastic surgery after being grievously injured in the Second World War.
Buckingham Palace said the service “will give thanks for The Duke of Edinburgh’s dedication to family, Nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting environmental stewardship and conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.”
“The Queen was actively involved in the plans for today’s Service of Thanksgiving, with many elements reflecting Her Majesty’s wishes,” a spokesman confirmed.
The Queen, who has recently suffered mobility problems, was on Monday still hoping to lead her family at the event.
The service showcased his dedication to family, Nation, and Commonwealth and paid tribute to his contribution to public life & steadfast support for over 700 charitable organisations.
