Prince Philip’s Emotional Outburst During Diana’s Funeral Planning

During a telephone conference call with Downing Street officials, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, exploded after suggestions were made regarding the funeral plans of Princess Diana.

The call was convened by the Lord Chamberlain Lord Airley, while the Queen and Prince Philip were staying with William and Harriet Balmoral.

The royal aides and Mr Blair's team were calling in from Buckingham Palace.

Mr Blair's government was accused of taking over Princess Diana's funeral plans, which led to proposal ideas being put forward.

However, these ideas were vetoed by the palace.

Following increasing pressure from Mr Blair's team for the young princes to walk behind the coffin, the anguished Duke lost his temper.

Eventually, the young princes walked behind their mother's coffin with her brother, Earl Spencer, Prince Charles, and Prince Philip.

William, now an adult, revealed this year that it was one of the hardest things he has ever done.

Harriet also recently stated that no child should be asked to do that under any circumstances, and it would not happen today.

The government suggested ways to show that the royals cared about Diana, including creating a pied piper effect where barriers would be gradually removed to allow the public to surge behind the procession.

However, police rejected the idea due to safety concerns.

Aides also wanted to invite Nelson Mandela and show business stars, as well as placing a giant TV screen in a royal park for the public to watch the procession.

Angie Hunter, Mr Blair's trusted government relations director, revealed the episode in a new BBC film about Diana's funeral.

She was also on the conference call and said she was shocked at the amount of emotion Prince Philip showed during the call.

Talking about it earlier this year, she said, “I can remember, it sends a tingle up my back, we were all talking about how William and Harry should be involved, and suddenly came Prince Philip's voice.

We hadn't heard from him before, but he was really anguished.

It's about the boys,” he cried.

“They've lost their mother.

I thought, my god, there's a bit of suffering going on up there.”

Ms Hunter's husband, Adam Boulton, Sky News political correspondent, revealed even more about the call in his book, Tony's Ten Years.

He wrote that the Queen relished the moment when Philip bellowed over the speakerphone from Balmoral, “F off, we are talking about two boys who have just lost their mother.”

Asked last week about the Duke's outburst, Mr Boulton said, “He was trying to remind everyone that human feelings were involved.

Number 10 were trying to help the Royals present things in the best way, but may have seemed insensitive.

The princes were uneasy about walking behind the coffin, but Number 10's advice that the Royals had to be seen mourning in public was right.”