Prince Philip's funeral guest list confirmed

The guest list for Prince Philip's funeral has been finalised with Buckingham Palace announcing the 30 people allowed into St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for the service.

And while all the big names amongst the royal family will be there for the occasion, there will be one familiar face missing, with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, not making the cut.

The mourners include Prince Harry, Prince William and his wife Kate, and the four children of the Queen and the duke, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will walk in the procession behind Prince Philip's coffin.

The duke's other grandchildren and some of their spouses will be there - including Peter Phillips, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and Zara and Mike Tindall.

Jack Brooksbank and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, married to Eugenie and Beatrice respectively will attend.

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Several of the Queen's cousins have been invited but without their spouses, including the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester. Princess Alexandra will also be alone, as she is a widow.

The late Princess Margaret's daughter, Lady Sarah and her husband, Daniel Chatto will be there, along with Margaret's son, The Earl of Snowdon.

There will also be three members of Philip's German family, Prince Phillipp, Prince Donatus and Prince Bernhard.

Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Penny Knatchbull, has been invited.

Sarah Ferguson 'supporting the Queen' all week

While she may not have made the final guest list, Sarah - Fergie - Ferguson has been supporting the Queen all week with daily walks at Windsor, alongside her ex-husband Prince Andrew.

"They have been going on short walks around the gardens with the Queen and her corgis. Sarah’s very much in the fold now that the Duke of Edinburgh has gone," an insider told The Sun.

“The Queen has always had a soft spot for Sarah and regards her as an excellent mother.”

Fergie had a falling out with Prince Philip after she split from Andrew, and the duke had previously described her as “odd” and “pointless”, even reportedly asking for her to leave Balmoral during royal holidays before he arrived.

Queen won't sit with family

The Queen will sit alone during the funeral for her late husband, Prince Philip, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

However, she will be accompanied by a lady-in-waiting in the car to and from St George's Chapel.

There was speculation earlier this week that she would have to sit on her own because the smaller guest list means no one from her household is attending the ceremony.

All attendees will have to sit in their household groups, which means there will be other people also sitting on their own.

Harry has had to fly over to the UK without his wife, Meghan Markle, so will be alone.

Peter Phillips recently divorced his wife Autumn, and will be there alone.

As well as sitting alone in the quire of the chapel, the Queen and all other mourners will have a face covering on throughout the ceremony to be COVID compliant.

Funeral plans 'ruined'

It's not the only impact the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had on Prince Philip's funeral.

The carefully laid plans for 'Operation Forth Bridge' — the codename for the duke's funeral, named after the famous bridge just north of Edinburgh — were reportedly "ruined" by COVID-19 restrictions.

Even though the prince wanted a "low key" affair, palace sources have confirmed a grand, 42km public funeral procession was always part of the arrangements.

Forth Bridge set out that Philip's coffin would have been taken from Windsor Castle to St James’s Palace in London. It would then be carried on a ceremonial gun carriage through the streets of London to allow the public to pay their respects.

Then the following day, a 42km funeral cortege would have seen the coffin placed within a specially adapted Land Rover and taken back to Windsor Castle.

The procession would have seen the route lined with thousands of members of the armed services and charities the prince was involved in, as well as the public.

Social distancing requirements mean that Forth Bridge had to be scaled back considerably, with the 42km procession reduced to an eight-minute walk from Windsor Castle to St George's Chapel where the funeral service will be held.

Both the procession and the service are closed to the public and will be broadcast live on the BBC.

“COVID-19 has ruined the arrangements and members of the public are encouraged not to gather in crowds, and to commemorate privately,” a royal source told The Sun.

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