Queen will have to sit alone at Prince Philip’s funeral.because of strict Covid rules, it has emerged.
The law states that anyone attending a funeral must stay at least two metres apart from anyone who is not part of their household, meaning all members of the Royal family will have to spread out in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The Queen is not eligible to be in a support bubble because she does not live on her own, meaning the only person who could sit with her during the service would be a member of her Windsor Castle staff.
The Duke’s private secretary, Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, is expected to be one of the 30 mourners allowed at the ceremony, and as a member of “HMS Bubble” at Windsor may be the only attendee eligible by law to sit with the Queen.
Royal sources confirmed that the Queen would be alone at the funeral service unless a member of the Windsor bubble joins her.
The Queen and other members of the Royal family will also, by law, have to wear face coverings during the ceremony, and will not be allowed to sing.
Buckingham Palace said exact details of the funeral service will be disclosed on Thursday, but a spokesman added: “We have made it very clear that the service will be Covid compliant.”
Andy Langford, clinical director of the charity Cruse Bereavement Care, of which the Queen is royal patron, said many people had found it “immensely difficult not being able to grieve the way they want to grieve” over the past year.
He said: “The Queen may be standing alone, but there is a difference between being alone and feeling isolated, and the important thing is that you can have people you can reach out to.“It’s also about being fully informed in advance about how the ceremony will take place.
“We advise people that yes, the funeral itself is important, but the time before and the time after are really critical.”
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