Weather due to be ‘calm and settled’ during Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral

The weather is due to be “very calm and settled” during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral on Saturday, forecasters have said.

Members of the royal family will walk behind Philip’s coffin as it is taken into St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the funeral will take place at 3pm.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed the Queen, like all 30 guests invited to the service, will wear a face mask during the funeral, which will last for 50 minutes.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: “The conditions tomorrow around Windsor are similar to many areas across the South East.

“We’ll see highs of 15C, possibly 16C, in isolated spots. The conditions should be dry.

“There may be some light cloud but there will also be clear sunny spells.

“It will feel warm in the sunshine and should remain reasonably bright and not too windy during the day – in fact there won’t be much of a breeze at all.

“Conditions will be very calm and settled.”

Buckingham Palace previously said the Queen had to make “difficult decisions” about who would attend the funeral, due to Covid-19 restrictions limiting mourners.

The monarch will be sitting by herself in the quire of St George’s Chapel, with all mourners following Covid guidelines and remaining socially distanced.

She will be joined by a lady-in-waiting for the short car journey to the place of worship from the Castle.

Philip was the guiding force behind his funeral arrangements and, reflecting his life-long association with the Royal Navy, Buglers of the Royal Marines will sound Action Stations during the service at the duke’s request.

It is played on a warship to signal all hands should go to battle stations and is sometimes featured at the funerals of naval men.

A reduced choir of just four singers will feature during the service and the guests will follow Covid rules and not sing.

Among the guests are all of the duke’s children and grandchildren and their spouses, the children of the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, and three of Philip’s German relatives: Bernhard, the Hereditary Prince of Baden; Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Also invited is a close friend of the duke, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, previously known as Lady Romsey and later Lady Brabourne, who was Philip’s carriage driving partner.

Buckingham Palace previously confirmed that royal men will wear morning coats with their medals while the women will wear day dresses.