Why the Queen will have to sit alone at Prince Philip’s funeral

Her Majesty The Queen will likely have to sit alone at Prince Philip's funeral due to Covid-19 restrictions.

• The Queen will likely have to sit away from her family members at Prince Philip's funeral (opens in new tab) on Saturday. 
• Buckingham Palace has confirmed the funeral will be ‘Covid compliant’ and therefore the 30 guests attending (opens in new tab) will need to sit two meters apart.
• It's also believed that the Queen and the attendees will wear face masks during the service.
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes after it was reported that Meghan Markle is ‘willing to forgive’ royal family following Prince Philip’s death (opens in new tab).

The Duke of Edinburgh passed away (opens in new tab) on the 9th of April, following heart surgery (opens in new tab) and a month-long stay in hospital earlier this year. Prince Philip won The Queen’s heart (opens in new tab) over their 73 years of marriage (opens in new tab) and died "peacefully" at Windsor Castle where he and Her Majesty had spent the majority of lockdown. 

Prince Philip’s funeral will be taking place on the 17th of April and it's likely Her Majesty the Queen will have to sit alone due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

A Palace spokesperson told The Telegraph that they have ‘made it very clear that the service will be Covid compliant'.

The government restrictions around funerals still say that families from different households should remain two meters apart from each other to avoid the spread of the virus.

This will mean members of the royal family will need to keep their distance from each other in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle where the funeral will be taking place. 

However, the Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, The Duke of Edinburgh’s private secretary could accompany the Queen if she wishes, as he is part of her royal bubble. 

Despite the seating arrangement, the whole family is said to be rallying around the Queen.

 Prince Harry has returned from the US and is self-isolating near Prince William (opens in new tab) ahead of the funeral and all senior members of the royal family will be attending the send off. 

Harry recently shared a poignant insight into what Prince Philip was like as a grandpa (opens in new tab), while Prince William released an unseen photo (opens in new tab) of his eldest son, Prince George, with Prince Philip along with an emotional tribute to the Duke.

Andy Langford, clinical director of Cruse Bereavement Care, which the Queen is patron of told The Telegraph, "It is immensely difficult to not be able to grieve the way they want to grieve.

"The Queen may be standing alone but there is a difference between being alone and feeling isolated, and the important thing is that you can have people you can reach out to."