Why the Queen sat alone at her husband’s funeral

During the funeral of Prince Philip, who was laid to rest Saturday, the royal family followed UK Covid-19 regulations to the letter.

As a result, at the funeral of the man who had been by her side for 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II sat alone in the quire of St. George's Chapel.

Guests who were not from the same household were required to sit approximately 2 meters apart. Royals who had been in family bubbles sat together.

The Queen and the late Prince Philip had been in a bubble with some members of their household for the last year and so the monarch was not eligible to join a support bubble with other members of her family.

Despite the fact that 800 mourners were on the registry of the initial, non-pandemic funeral arrangements, only 30 people were allowed to participate.

All in attendance adhered to the Covid-19 rules, which required them to maintain a social distance from anyone outside their household and wear masks.

Throughout the service, cameras focused on the Queen, who sat alone in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, looking eerily solemn. The Queen sat absolutely alone as the ceremony went on in one especially heartbreaking shot.

Many people have reflected about how heartbreaking and striking it was to see the Queen alone during what would have been a rather difficult time for her. “It's heartbreaking to see,” one Twitter user said.

“The Queen sat alone, socially distanced, at her husband's funeral is going to be an enduring image. When she said, aged 21 in April 1947 that she was going to serve her country, she meant every word of it, ” Omid Djalili, an artist, posted an image of Her Majesty on Twitter.

The Queen sat alone, socially distanced, at her husband's funeral is going to be an enduring image. When she said, aged 21 in April 1947 that she was going to serve her country, she meant every word of it. #PrincePhilipfuneral pic.twitter.com/2hYbxErl4P

— Omid Djalili (@omid9) April 17, 2021

Charlie Proctor, a royal specialist, asked why Her Majesty's bubble did not have a participant seated alongside her.

On Twitter, he wrote: “Was there really no room in St George's Chapel for Lady Susan Hussey, The Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, so Her Majesty didn't have to sit alone?

Lady Susan is in The Queen's bubble and travelled in the car with her today.”

As a four-member choir performed “I am the resurrection and the life,” the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, entered the chapel ahead of the coffin, accompanied by Philip's children and three of his eight grandchildren.

Prince Philip was honored as a man of “courage, fortitude, and faith” at a funeral honoring both his service in the Royal Navy and his three-quarter-century support for Queen Elizabeth II.

‘We are here today in St George's Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,' said David Conner, Dean of Windsor, as he opened the ceremony.

‘With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us.

‘We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith.'

‘Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humour and humanity.

‘We therefore pray that God will give us grace to follow his example, and that, with our brother Philip, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.'

The Queen and Philip had been married for 73 years, and the prince was the country's longest-serving consort.

At the ceremony, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge sat opposite each other in St. George's Chapel, with William seated next to his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. Prince Harry sat alone as well.