Prince George and Princess Charlotte looked adorable as they joined their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their beloved great-grandfather’s memorial service today.  

Walking hand-in-hand with their parents, George, eight, arrived wearing a smart navy suit and light blue tie, while his little sister Charlotte, six, wore a navy blue button up coat dress with black tights and a matching ribbon in her hair.  

The Westminster Abbey service marks one of the important outings to date for the two young royals, both of whom enjoyed a close relationship with Prince Philip before his death at the age of 99 last April. 

Charlotte, who donned a sweet French braid in her hair, was seen grinning inside the Abbey as she shook hands with a member of the clergy ahead of the service this morning. 

Savannah, 11, and Isla Phillips, 10, the daughters of Prince Philip’s eldest grandson Peter, were also in attendance, as was Zara and Mike Tindall’s eight-year-old daughter Mia. 

The Duke of Edinburgh ‘s other great-grandchildren are Princess Charlotte, six, Prince Louis , three, Lena Tindall, also three, and her one-year-old brother Lucas, Princess Eugenie’s one-year-old son August Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna Mapelli Mozz, who was born in September last year. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, Archie, two, and Lilibet, nine months, remain with the couple in California. 

The Duchess of Cambridge looked poised as she wore an understated polkadot Alessandra Rich gown which she paired with elegant silver droplet earrings, as she was joined by her husband for the event this morning. 

Kate and Prince Philip enjoyed a good relationship, with Prince William saying he was thankful that Kate, who married into the royal family in 2011 after meeting William nearly a decade earlier, had ‘so many years’ to get to know his grandfather. 

The memorial service will pay tribute to the Duke’s dedication to ‘family, nation and Commonwealth’, his contribution to public life and his steadfast support to his charities. 

After much speculation about whether Her Majesty would attend the service, Buckingham Palace confirmed this morning that the Queen would be in attendance at the memorial service.   

Senior royals in attendance at the memorial will include Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Zara and Mike Tindall and Peter Phillips. 

The service will also be attended by around 30 foreign royals, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. 

Princess Margaret’s daughter Sarah Chatto, Viscount Linley, Freddie and Sophie Windsor and Prince Michael of Kent were also in attendance at the service.   

The Queen has recently been forced to pull out of a string of engagements because of ill health and old age. She was unable to attend the Commonwealth Day service this month because of concerns about her mobility and comfort. 

Palace and Abbey aides are thought to have taken steps to ensure that the service, is being televised live on BBC One, is less taxing for the Queen. 

Royal aides revealed ahead of the memorial that the 95-year-old Queen has been ‘actively involved’ in plans for the service – ‘with many elements reflecting Her Majesty’s wishes’. 

Plans for the service included several elements the duke had planned for his funeral in April last year but which were forbidden by Covid restrictions at the time.

Missing gestures from Philip’s pre-pandemic arrangements saw Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award holders and members of the youth UK Cadet Force associations line the steps of Westminster Abbey as guests arrived.

The duke’s express wishes for the congregation to join and sing the rousing hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and for the clergy from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral to play a special part will finally be granted on Tuesday.

Prayers will be said for the duke’s ‘gifts of character; for his humour and resilience; his fortitude and devotion to duty’ by the Chapels Royal’s Sub-Dean. 

His ‘energy and spirit of adventure’ and ‘strength and constancy’ will be heralded by royal estates’ clergy – known as the Queen’s domestic chaplains.

The duke had an active role in the day-to-day management of the estates for many years. 

His funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor was limited to just 30 mourners in the midst of the pandemic and mass singing was banned, with the Queen sitting alone in a mask.

Around 1,800 guests will attend todays service, including British and European royalty, representatives of the many charities of which the duke was patron or president, Boris and Carrie Johnson, and Sir David Attenborough.   

The service will gave thanks for the duke’s dedication to family, nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.

One of the elements planned for the funeral which has now been included in the service will see nine Gold Award holders from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, plus representatives from UK Cadet Force Associations, line entry routes into Westminster Abbey.

Philip, who died in April last year aged 99, launched the DofE Award in 1956 and was Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force, a role he first took up in 1953.

A tenth DofE gold award holder, Doyin Sonibare, 28, from London, will give a tribute to His Royal Highness’s legacy, recognising the impact of the Award on young people across the globe.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, will conduct the service and describe the duke in the Bidding as ‘a man of rare ability and distinction’ who ‘ever directed our attention away from himself.’

He will say: ‘He put privilege to work and understood his rank as a spur to service. Working at pace, with so many claims on his attention, he encouraged us to focus, as he was focussed, on the things that matter.

‘His was a discipline and character that seized opportunity and overcame obstruction and difficulty. We recall, with affection and respect, the sustained offering of a long life lived fully.’  

It was the duke’s expressed wish that clergy from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral – known as The Queen’s domestic chaplains – played a part in his funeral service, but this was not possible due to the Covid restrictions.

Today the Reverend Kenneth MacKenzie Minister of Crathie Church, the regular place of worship of the British royal family when they are in residence at nearby Balmoral Castle, the Reverend Canon Jonathan Riviere, the Rector of Sandringham, and the Reverend Canon Martin Poll, Chaplain to the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor Great Park, will offer prayers recognising Philip’s energy, spirit of adventure and ‘good stewardship of the environment’. 

The Queen and Philip were married in the Abbey in November 1947 and it holds many special memories.

Flowers at today’s service will be red, white and blue. They will include dendrobium orchids, which also featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet, and eryngium – or sea holly – echoing the duke’s career in the Royal Navy and lifelong affection for the sea.

The Queen attended the opening of the Welsh Parliament on October 14 last year. Since then she has conducted engagements at Windsor Castle, where she is now based, and visited Sandringham in February. 

Queen sheds a tear for beloved Philip: Emotional monarch wears green in tribute to late husband at Westminster Abbey memorial attended by Kate, Wills, Charles and Camilla… a year after sitting alone at his funeral at height of the pandemic

The Queen shed a tear for Prince Philip at an extraordinary service in remembrance of his remarkable life of service to Britain and his wife today. 

Her Majesty stood in Westminster Abbey where she had personally ensured her beloved husband’s final wishes were fulfilled after his covid-hit funeral left her sat alone without the rousing hymns and guests he loved so much.

The 95-year-old monarch used a stick as she was walked to her seat by her disgraced son the Duke of York to give her ‘strength and stay’ Philip the final farewell he had wanted. The service was attended by the Royal Family and his relatives, friends and people who benefitted from his charities. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were the only senior royals not there. 

Despite battling mobility problems, she stood to pray and sing anthems during a 40-minute service that her husband of 73 years had helped plan for before his death last April. But in a controversial decision she chose Prince Andrew to support her as she arrived and left the church, clutching his elbow with one hand and a walking stick with the other. 

The Queen had stood with tears in her eyes as the 1,800-strong congregation sang Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer before the bells of Westminster Abbey rang out to mark the end of the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh. 

After she leant on Andrew as she walked back out of the church, the Queen appeared to grimace as she walked to the car hunched over with the Duke of York at her side guiding her towards the Bentley.

She appeared to be holding tightly to her stick and appeared to be making a great effort to get to the vehicle, concentrating very hard in taking each step. Once inside the car she appeared to be back to her normal composed self as the car slowly drove away. She waved to onlookers as she arrived and left the service.

The Queen and the packed abbey had listened as the Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Philip’s intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family.

The Right Reverend David Conner described the duke as a ‘remarkable man’ who was committed to ‘a host of down-to-earth enterprises’. He pointed out that the duke could be ‘abrupt’, and suggested that at times he could forget ‘just how intimidating he could be’. 

Princess Beatrice was seen to give a small chuckle as the Dean remarked: ‘He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.’ But then appeared to break down in tears, covering her face with the order of service.

The Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal were all dressed in dark green in a subtle tribute to Philip, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green. A number of others throughout the congregation also wore the shade, including Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare who delivered a special tribute about the effect Philip’s youth scheme had on her life.  

Flowers at today’s service are a patriotic red, white and blue, at Her Majesty’s request. They included dendrobium orchids, which also featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet, and eryngium – or sea holly – echoing the duke’s career in the Royal Navy and lifelong affection for the sea. There were also multiple tributes to his intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family and his country. 

Her Majesty had arrived at the side door of the church, allowing her to walk a shorter distance from Poets’ Corner to the front where she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She stood at various points in the service, despite her own admission recently that she is struggling to move. 

Westminster Abbey was completely packed today to celebrate the 99-year life of Prince Philip as Her Majesty battled mobility issues and fought off covid to be there to say goodbye to her husband after 73 years of marriage. 

The event, attended by most of the Duke of Edinburgh’s family and many of Europe’s most senior royals, is in the starkest of contrasts to his pared back funeral at Windsor last April when Her Majesty said goodbye to her strength and stay after 73 years of marriage. 

The Queen finally decided to attend today’s service in Central London around two hours before but the coverage of the Service of Thanksgiving was dominated by her extraordinary decision to travel with her disgraced son Prince Andrew from Windsor Castle to Central London.   

Her Majesty was determined to be amongst the 1,800 guests despite the 95-year-old’s mobility problems that have prevented her doing a major public engagement away from Windsor Castle in nearly six months. The Tindalls were the first close family to arrive, followed Princess Anne, the Wessexes, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla and then the Cambridges, who were with their children George and Charlotte. The Queen was the last to arrive with Andrew.

It was a move that royal watchers believe may have upset her son Prince Charles and grandson Prince William – both instrumental in the decision to take away the Duke of York’s ‘HRH’.   

The Queen chose her second son to join her in the back of her royal car for the 22-mile journey and he was also given a front row in the church, right next to his other siblings at the service just weeks after he paid millions to one of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slaves, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of having sex with her three times when she was trafficked to London aged 17. 

The Queen’s state limousine arrived at Poets’ Yard entrance with Andrew sat beside her. As they walked through the famous section of the abbey towards her seat, in a small procession, the monarch held onto her son’s elbow with her left hand and had a walking stick in her right.

They walked at a slow but steady pace both looking ahead, and at the end of the aisle they separated – with Andrew giving a last glance to his mother as she turned right. After the first hymn, Charles, who was sat next to her mother, could be seen leaning over to speak to the Queen seated next to him – but it is not clear what was said. The Queen then delved into her black Launer handbag for her glasses to read the order of service. 

After the 40 minute service, Her Majesty was escorted out of the abbey by the Duke of York. As the monarch stopped to greet Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, Andrew stood back and at one point broke into a smile. 

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were the first to leave Westminster Abbey alongside the abbey’s chapter.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed. All four royals waved at the crowd outside as they were driven away in black cars.

Today the monarch ensured that her beloved husband’s final wishes are fulfilled after his Covid-hit funeral left her sat alone without the rousing hymns and guests he loved so much. Her Majesty has been ‘actively involved’ in every element of his service of thanksgiving that will see Westminster Abbey packed to the rafters.

Even the smallest of touches have been overseen by the Queen, including the use of orchids that formed part of her 1947 wedding bouquet being used in small posies of flowers. 

Prince Philip’s beloved Sea Cadets and young people who have taken his Duke of Edinburgh awards are centre stage at the service that will see the Abbey reverberate with the sound of hymns including Guide me, O thou great Redeemer. 

All Prince Philip’s family chose to attend apart from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. On Prince Andrew’s left is his brother the Earl of Wessex and Edward’s family the Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

Across an aisle on his right is the Princess Royal, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince of Wales and the Queen.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte also attended with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and be sat behind the Queen. Behind Andrew and Edward’s family were Peter Phillips, and Zara and Mike Tindall and their daughters.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family were celebrated in an address by the Dean of Windsor.

The Right Reverend David Conner paid tribute to Philip as a ‘remarkable man’ who was committed to ‘a host of down-to-earth enterprises’.

He pointed out that the duke could be ‘abrupt’ and suggested that at times he could forget ‘just how intimidating he could be’.

Addressing the congregation in Westminster Abbey, Mr Conner said: ‘He was practical, wanting to put flesh upon his dreams, and (acknowledging the limitations of living in this so-called ‘real world’) he devoted his astonishing intellectual and physical energy, his enormous capacity for sheer hard work, to a host of down-to-earth enterprises.

‘These included the equipping of young people to face tomorrow’s challenges, the encouragement of respect and care for the natural order, and his pioneering work in facilitating conversation between representatives of the different world faiths.

‘Through his passionate commitment, he drew others to himself in admiration and respect and, in the case of those who lived and worked most closely to him, genuine love.’

Mr Conner added: ‘He would hate to think that I should paint a picture of him as a ‘plaster saint’; someone without the usual human foibles and failings.

‘He was far too self-aware ever to be taken in by flattery. Of course, it must be said that his life bore the marks of sacrifice and service.

‘Certainly, he could show great sympathy and kindness. There is no doubt that he had a delightfully engaging, and often self-deprecating, sense of humour.

‘It is quite clear that his mind held together both speculation and common sense. Moreover, nobody would ever doubt his loyalty and deep devotion to our Queen and to their family.

‘Yet, there were times when he could be abrupt; maybe, in robust conversation, forgetting just how intimidating he could be.

‘A kind of natural reserve sometimes made him seem a little distant. He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.

‘On the other hand, we should not forget that he himself was sometimes wounded by being unfairly criticised or misunderstood.’

Concluding his address, the dean said: ‘As we give thanks for the life of a remarkable man, perhaps our greatest tribute to him, most especially in these far too troubled times, will be for us to accept the challenge, implicit in his life, to rekindle in our hearts something of that call, and to pray (as I think he did) for the inspiration and the guidance to play our part, however small, in working for a kinder future.

While the Queen’s arrival at Westminster Abbey was mentioned in the order of service, a final decision on her attendance was only confirmed two hours before because of her frailty. 

The Princess Royal arrived at Westminster Abbey. Wearing a long green dress and hat, Anne arrived alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Peter Phillips’ children Savannah and Isla were sitting next to their cousin Mia, daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall. The girls were dressed in navy with their hair fixed back with headbands.

Once inside Westminster Abbey, guests were escorted to their seats, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands smiling at members of the Abbey’s chapter, or governing body, standing by the great West Door, as they walked in. The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children also smiled warmly at the welcoming clergy. 

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and her daughter, Lady Louise, smiled and chatted to each other after taking their seats in the Abbey.  

Earlier today, royal commentator Robert Jobson, author of Prince Philip’s Century, told GB News: ‘I think that Prince Andrew may play a more prominent role than we think earlier on. My understanding is that someone has to support the Queen and he may well be by her side. I think Charles will probably be with Camilla.’

Overnight, royal aides revealed the Queen has been ‘actively involved’ in plans for the service ‘with many elements reflecting Her Majesty’s wishes’ as the order of service was unveiled at midnight.

It includes several elements the Duke had planned for his funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in April last year but which were forbidden by Covid restrictions at the time.

Among them is the involvement of Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) gold award winners and Sea Cadets, his expressed wish for the congregation to sing the rousing hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and for clergy from the royal estates of Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral to play a special part.

His funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor was limited to just 30 mourners in the midst of the pandemic and mass singing was banned, with the Queen sitting alone in a mask.

Around 1,800 guests are due at today’s service, including British and European royalty, representatives of the many charities of which the duke was patron or president, Boris and Carrie Johnson, and Sir David Attenborough.

But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not returning from the US for the service.

While the Queen’s arrival was mentioned in the order of service, it is understood that a final decision on her attendance was not made until first thing this morning. 

She has recently been forced to pull out of a string of engagements because of ill health and old age. She was unable to attend the Commonwealth Day service this month because of concerns about her mobility and comfort.

Palace and Abbey aides are thought to have taken steps to ensure that the service is less taxing for the Queen.

Instead of arriving at the usual West Entrance to the Abbey, which would involve steps and a long walk down the Nave in front of the cameras, the Queen could be driven around the side of the building and enter away from public view via the ‘Poet’s Entrance’.

She would then have a far shorter walk down the South Transept to her seat. It is likely she would walk with the aid of a stick.

The service will gave thanks for the duke’s dedication to family, nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.

One of the elements planned for the funeral which has now been included in the service will see nine Gold Award holders from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, plus representatives from UK Cadet Force Associations, line entry routes into Westminster Abbey.

Philip, who died in April last year aged 99, launched the DofE Award in 1956 and was Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force, a role he first took up in 1953.

A tenth DofE gold award holder, Doyin Sonibare, 28, from London, will give a tribute to His Royal Highness’s legacy, recognising the impact of the Award on young people across the globe.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, will conduct the service and describe the duke in the Bidding as ‘a man of rare ability and distinction’ who ‘ever directed our attention away from himself.’

He will say: ‘He put privilege to work and understood his rank as a spur to service. Working at pace, with so many claims on his attention, he encouraged us to focus, as he was focussed, on the things that matter.

‘His was a discipline and character that seized opportunity and overcame obstruction and difficulty. We recall, with affection and respect, the sustained offering of a long life lived fully.’  

It was the duke’s expressed wish that clergy from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral – known as The Queen’s domestic chaplains – played a part in his funeral service, but this was not possible due to the Covid restrictions.

Today the Reverend Kenneth MacKenzie Minister of Crathie Church, the regular place of worship of the British royal family when they are in residence at nearby Balmoral Castle, the Reverend Canon Jonathan Riviere, the Rector of Sandringham, and the Reverend Canon Martin Poll, Chaplain to the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor Great Park, will offer prayers recognising Philip’s energy, spirit of adventure and ‘good stewardship of the environment’.

The service will also be attended by around 30 foreign royals, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. 

The Queen and Philip were married in the Abbey in November 1947 and it holds many special memories.

Flowers at today’s service will be red, white and blue. They will include dendrobium orchids, which also featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet, and eryngium – or sea holly – echoing the duke’s career in the Royal Navy and lifelong affection for the sea.

The Queen attended the opening of the Welsh Parliament on October 14 last year. Since then she has conducted engagements at Windsor Castle, where she is now based, and visited Sandringham in February.