Queen resumes royal duties four days after Prince Philip’s death | The Queen

The Queen has resumed her royal duties, four days after the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, to mark the retirement of her household’s top official.

The monarch held her first in-person event to hold a ceremony in Windsor as William Peel formally stepped down as Lord Chamberlain. The Earl had overseen the arrangements for the Duke’s funeral, known as Operation Forth Bridge. He had handed responsibility for the operation to his successor, former MI5 spy chief Andrew Parker, just a week before Prince Philip’s death at Windsor Castle.

The Lord Chamberlain’s office, headed by the Queen’s Comptroller Lt. Col. Michael Vernon, is responsible for the practicality of Saturday’s service. But it was Lord Parker, who took up his new post on April 1 after Peel retired after more than 14 years in his post.

Reports have speculated that the Queen may have to sit alone during the funeral in St George’s Chapel, as Covid rules state that people must stay at least 2 meters away from anyone who does not. part of their household.

The Queen does not qualify by the rules to join a Support Bubble because she does not live alone. However, a member of her staff at Windsor Castle would be allowed to sit with her, and it seems unlikely that the monarch will have no one to accompany her to her husband’s funeral.

The 30 mourners allowed at the ceremony under coronavirus rules must wear masks during the service and are not allowed to sing. Government rules state that only one “professional” person can sing at the funeral and a maximum of three people can sing “if essential to an act of worship.”

The armed forces are stepping up preparations for the Duke’s funeral, which will include service members from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and RAF alongside senior military officials.

Soldiers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers are believed to be working on the special Land Rover, which the Duke helped design, which will carry his coffin on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Princess Royal attended her first official event since her father’s death, joining the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Spring Conference via video link in her capacity as the organization’s godmother.