PRINCE Charles said he was “deeply” moved by Prince Philip’s military funeral, and told squaddies “you did him proud” today.
He praised the well-drilled and poignant role the Welsh Guards carried out at the emotional goodbye.
The royal visited Combermere Barracks in Windsor today, and gave a short speech thanking the soldiers for their efforts.
He said: “[I’m] Enormously proud of those of you who formed part of the quadrant at my father’s funeral recently.
“If I may say so, a wonderful credit not only to the Royal Welsh Guards but to the household division and all those who were on parade for what you all did.
“I know my family and I were deeply moved by the way you all performed your duties and people from other countries rang me up to say they’d never seen anything quite so beautifully done with such dignity and style.
“And of course it is something that you are all rightly famed but I know my father would have been enormously touched because he had dreamt up this, particularly the way he wanted it done.
“So you did him proud and you certainly made your old Colonel. for what it’s worth. very proud indeed.”
Prince Philip planned his farewell down to the very small details, resulting in an extremely personal funeral.
He spent 16 years designing the modified military green Land Rover that took him on his final journey.
He started work on it in 2003 when he turned 82 and was still tinkering with it as recently as 2019 at the age of 98.
The Duke of Edinburgh insisted on designing it himself as plans were drawn up for his funeral under the codename Operation Forth Bridge.
In line with the Duke’s wishes, he was laid to rest in a ceremonial – rather than state – funeral.
Action Stations, sounded on naval warships to signal all hands must go to battle stations, was played at the request of the Duke.
Buglers of the Royal Marines performed the wartime alert, a tradition sometimes associated with naval funerals, in honour of Philip’s active service in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
The Last Post was also be played to signify “a soldier has gone to his final rest”.
It comes as the Queen also carried out royal duties today, smiling as she met with virtual aduiences at Buckingham Palace.
She has remained at Windsor Castle to keep her Covid bubble safe.
But she was today pictured appearing on a screen to receive the Ambassador of Haiti Euvrard Saint Amand and the Apostolic Nuncio to the UK Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti.
