Beautiful memorial service for Prince Philip

If Harry had come, it just wouldn’t have been such a happy looking, united occasion.

It would have looked plain awkward, no two ways about it.

And even worse if Meghan had come as well.

Definitely for the best they stayed away.

(My opinion only, of course).

Under the circumstances maybe for Meghan's sake it was for the best she didn't come. In the interview she told how at other royal events she cried when the lights went down and felt suicidal. It would be awful to put her through that again especially with so much animosity in the air now. Harry would be very concerned for her wellbeing.

SueDoku

ReadyMeals

With regard to Harry's security problem, he could have got off the plane, been met by Charles or William or even Kate who would automatically have had police protection with them, he could have got into their nice secure car with them, then gone straight to nice secure Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace or even Clarence House which all have security around them. He then just needed to stay put, protected, till the service, and gone to the service with another royal in another secure car, then reversed his journey home again. There was no reason to have his own security team - unless he had thought to go clubbing or to Burger King while he was over here... Basically he didn't want to come to some boring family do.

I agree. Sad to see that he didn't attend - especially after seeing Prince Philip walking beside him to support him at Diana's funeral...
His grandfather (who, like him or not, never wavered in his duty to support the Queen) wouldn't have been impressed ?

... this - up there - is the reason the tabloid media are so obsessed with H&M, to the extent they report on virtually every move the couple make whether it's important or not, and quite often just isn't.

Keeping readers engaged and the advertisers happy!

Harry was conspicuous by his absence, but the reason(s) for it are all pure speculation and gossip. No-one knows why Harry stayed away. If it's true that he speaks regularly with his grandmother, it can also be speculated that she might have wished him not to attend - knowing that the media would go into an absolute frenzy over his appearance, making this occasion all about him instead of Philip. But that, too, is conjecture on my part. Because I don't know anymore than anyone else why he didn't attend.

The memorial service was about Philip, a service to commemorate his life and achievements. Like him or not - and I didn't like him - this event was still about him... not Harry, not Andrew. And now it's turning into a feverish distraction of hypothesising and supposition about H&M - yet again.

It was a lovely dignified service and a celebration of a wonderful life. I have learned so much about Prince Philip since his death. What an amazing man he was! Also just quietly going about his duties and involvement in so many wonderful endeavours without the need to be in the spotlight. The Queen was lucky to have such a man at her side for so many years. As for Prince Andrew escorting the Queen it was obviously her decision and good for her! He is her beloved son and has not been found guilty of anything except by the tabloid press.

Because the media is relentless and unstoppable in its pursuit of those who are out of favour.

Historians in future years will use this thread as an example of how to influence the way people view the Royal Family.

Prince Phillip was a saint, everyone was just being unfair to poor Andrew, M&H are very important in the world AND they are to be vilified at every opportunity and Kate is cute.

??

I shall be controversial and say that Andrew should not have taken the role he did at the funeral, it wasn’t a private occasion, and he should have stayed very much in the background. Indeed I think he should not have attended a service of national thanksgiving.

I’m not a supporter of harry and Meghan in spite of what some think and say. But:
“We are not interested in Meghan and harry” is nonsense. No opportunity is ever passed by to mention them.

Imagine the scenario. harry and Meghan both come to the memorial …oh it’s the harry and Meghan show.
Harry comes on his own…..oh how disrespectful that Meghan couldn’t be bothered to come.
Harry comes and sits next to William…..surely he should be in the row behaving ?
Harry comes and doesn’t sit next to William…..clearly harry doesn’t want to be with his brother.

Damn autocorrect….behaving ? Behind

Yes Lucca. Perfectly summed up.

Lucca spot on..

I have just caught up with this. I was particularly moved by the Dean of Windsor’s tribute - he was not only Prince Phillip’s spiritual advisor but his friend and was visibly emotional at his funeral service, as he was here. Nice to see that Her Majesty, with her mobility issues, eschewed a traditional walking stick in favour of a thumb stick. A country woman first and always?.

Spot on Lucca. If Andrew was concerned about anyone but himself, he would not have walked with the Queen. She rarely puts a foot wrong but that was a mistake.
Is also nonsense to suggest because he avoided a court case by paying compensation, he hasn’t done anything wrong

Harry is engaged in a court case about his lack of special police protection, (I forget against whom) so he could not prejudice his case by appearing in public.
It also needs to be remembered that the attacks H&M have made against the royal family in print and on film are on public record, therefore people are entitled to express their opinions in response.

Doing something wrong doesn’t mean breaking the law , friendship with people who have broken the law is not a
criminal offence ,

he had a right to attend the memorial service for his father

Why did he pay the $12million Anniebach?

(I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer.)

Queen's decision Andrew take centre stage

Where does this weird idea come from that the Queen has put duty and country first? She’s defended her position, status and wealth and that of her family at every opportunity, regardless of the cost to the nation. What duty has she served in return?

Unaccountable above the law secretive

I watched the service, Prince Andrew escorted his mother from the side entrance of the Abbey to the row where her seat was, and escorted her out the same way.

He didn’t walk the length of the Abbey as the other Royals, he didn’t meet, greet, shake hands with anyone. In fact it was all very discreet.

It’s the media who have blown him being there out of all proportion, he was at his fathers memorial service, other than coming in a disguise/full face mask what could he have done, other than not attend, with all the media storm that would also have created?

It’s the media who have blown him being there out of all proportion, he was at his fathers memorial service, other than coming in a disguise/full face mask what could he have done, other than not attend, with all the media storm that would also have created?

Sat at the back?

volver for Prince Andrew to sit at the back after escorting The Queen it would have meant him walking the length of The Abbey.

Jody1234

Oh yes, thank you so much Callistemon21, that's the one. Don't they look lovely together. How beautiful the Queen is.

And the Duke in his RN uniform ?

He didn't have to escort her.

There's plenty people in that family, I'm sure they could have found somebody else. He could have come in the side entrance on his own, early in proceedings, and sat down quietly.

Then we would have had a TV picture of him and the presenter would have said there's the Duke of York, discreetly attending his father's memorial service.

Secondly why should Prince Andrew be made to sit at the back, he is The Queen and Prince Philip’s second son.

He hasn’t been found guilty, yes he paid a settlement to a USA Court. The legal system in the U.K. is completely different to that of the U.K.

I am not defending him as a sexual predator, as the truth will probably never be known, I am defending his right to morn his Father sitting along with the rest of his family.

My take on it, for what it’s worth, is that the Queen wanted Andrew to escort her because, regardless of what Charles and William felt should be done, she needed to feel safe walking into the Abbey.

I don’t believe the theory that the Dean of Westminster was supposed to take her to her seat. Since when has anyone but a close family member been allowed to touch the Queen? It might sound daft but it has always been that way.

If Charles was so concerned that Andrew would muscle in he could have stepped forward after Camilla had sat down.

It was obviously the Queen’s decision. She’s still the boss. She calls the shots.

It was obviously the Queen’s decision. She’s still the boss. She calls the shots.

Ain't that the truth.