The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was laid to rest on April 17, 2021. The funeral, held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, finally brought the royal family — including estranged brothers Prince William and Prince Harry — together. Due to the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, it was an unusually intimate event, attended by just 30 family members and friends.

Prince Harry made the trip to England from the U.S. without his then-pregnant wife Meghan Markle, who was advised by her doctor not to travel and reportedly watched the ceremony on a special live feed provided for family members who were not able to attend. As previously reported, the princes did not walk side by side behind their grandfather’s coffin during the procession to St. George’s Chapel; they were buffered by cousin Peter Philips.

But of course, the brothers and their currently frosty relationship were not the focal point of the day: instead, the world watched as the family paid its final respects to the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away on April 9 at the age of 99.

Following the procession to the Chapel, there was a national minute of silence before the funeral began. Save for the 30 members of the royal family and friends, the chapel was nearly empty — there were starkly beautiful shots of just four choir members and a conductor; their voices filling the cavernous space. And we saw touching moments of the family — including Queen Elizabeth, sitting alone, her handbag at her side — bowing their heads.

“Prince Philip was a man who always said he didn’t want any fuss… and he made it clear he didn’t want any fuss over his funeral,” Tim Ewart, an MSNBC royal commentator and former royal editor for ITV News, said at the conclusion of the event. “This was not, however, I’m sure what he had envisaged. But I found it very moving and quite haunting. That magnificent setting, empty but somehow the choir filling that great place; the sight of Queen sitting on her own, in a mask, head bowed, it was incredibly moving.” He added of the unique nature of the pandemic-era funeral, “they didn’t get a great state occasion, it wasn’t particularly ceremonial in the general sense of the word, but what it was was moving, and it was deeply personal.”

One year later, we’re looking back at the most moving photos from the royal family’s final goodbye to Prince Philip.

 

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