Prince Philip’s body will be moved when Queen dies so they ‘can be together forever’

In a last touching tribute, the Duke's body will be relocated when the Queen dies.

It is known that the Duke of Edinburgh's body will be relocated after the Queen dies so that they can be buried together.

The coffin of Prince Philip will be installed in St George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where he will be laid in rest for family and welcome visitors to pay their respects.

His body will be carried to the Royal Vault inside the chapel after the service, where he will remain until the Queen dies.

It is expected that the pair will be buried together so that they can be together forever.

The Duke of Edinburgh will be privately interred in the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel after his funeral, but this will not be his final resting spot.

When the Queen passes away, Philip will be moved to lay beside his wife of 73 years.

The remains of the Queen's father, George VI, her father, the Queen Mother, and her sister, Princess Margaret, are housed in the tiny chapel.

A black stone slab set into the floor is the focal point of the pale stone annexe, which was added to the north side of St George's behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969.

It is inscribed in gold lettering with “George VI” and “Elizabeth,” as well as their birth and death dates. The Queen and immediate members of her family will meet privately after the funeral on Saturday, while the duke's body is temporarily interred in the Royal Vault – a resting spot under St George's Chapel.

The Royal Vault was built between 1804 and 1810 for George III, who died in 1820 and is one of three kings buried there. George IV and William IV are also buried in the cellar.

Philip died Friday morning at Windsor Castle, according to Buckingham Palace. In the last ten centuries, Britain's eldest and longest-serving royal partner was 99 years old.

Philip's funeral will be held on April 17 at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in a private family ceremony, according to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on Saturday. Prince Philip will be laid to rest with all the respect befitting a prince of the United Kingdom and Queen Elizabeth II's consort.

“The Duke of Edinburgh's coffin, covered with His Royal Highness's Personal Standard and dressed with a wreath of flowers, is resting in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle, where it will remain until the day of the Funeral,” reads a statement from Buckingham Palace.

Palace officials stated that the service will be held strictly in accordance with the government's COVID-19 rules, which limit the number of people allowed to attend funerals. They did not mention why the royal family would have to wear masks.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, it would be a more low-key goodbye than previous royal deaths have been. The pandemic has necessitated revisions to the well-planned preparations for Philip's burial, dubbed Operation Forth Bridge.

“During the coronavirus pandemic, and in light of current government advice and social distancing guidelines, modified Funeral and ceremonial arrangements for His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh are being considered by Her Majesty The Queen,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement Friday.

At noon on Saturday, 41-gun salutes were fired throughout the country, including at the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle, as well as in Gibraltar and on Royal Navy ships at sea.