In normal circumstances, some 800 mourners would have filed into St George’s Chapel in Windsor today to pay their last respects to the Duke of Edinburgh.
Instead, a gathering of just 30 people, including the Queen, the couple’s children and grandchildren, as well as a small number of other guests, will be there to say goodbye.
Whittling down the list for the funeral had involved “some very difficult” decisions, Buckingham Palace officials had said.
In recent years, the chapel has been the scene for large royal weddings, including that of Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie, but today the congregation will consist mainly of close relatives.
The only non-family member is Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Penelope Knatchbull, 68, formerly known as Lady Romsey. Her husband, Norton,