Indians in Britain have been reflecting on how their lives were touched by Prince Philip, who died, aged 99, on Friday, and whose funeral will take place in about a week’s time at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, with only 30 members of the Royal Family attending because of Covid restrictions.
The honest answer is that in marked contrast to his eldest son, Prince Charles, the Duke of Edinburgh had little to do with Indians — not directly, anyway.
The Queen, who turns 95 on April 21, was by her husband’s bedside when he passed away early on Friday. As he became critically unwell on Thursday, some in the household at Windsor Castle wondered whether he should be rushed back to hospital, where he had already spent a month. The Queen decided he should have his final moments in his own bed.
Anna Whitelock, history of the monarchy professor at London University, said: “There’s no doubt this is going to be the second part of the Elizabethan age. Prince Philip has been absolutely central to the reign up until now.
“The Queen has been acting on her own since Philip’s retirement (from public duties in August 2017) but this is now very different.
“The Queen is now a widow and I think that’s going to be very hard for her to come to terms with.”
Britain has started eight days of national mourning. Buckingham Palace has appealed to people not to bring floral tributes because these attract overwrought tragedy tourists who congregate, reading the messages, as happened after Princess Diana’s death in 1997.
Bouquets place outside Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace were being removed “respectfully” on Saturday.
But a small number of people still came clutching spring flowers.
Prince Harry is expected to fly in from California for the wedding, but without his wife, Meghan, who is expecting their second child.
In according with the instructions left behind by Philip, who “hated fuss”, he will not have neither state nor a full scale ceremonial funeral with all the trimmings. But on Saturday, 41-gun salutes were fired in cities across the UK, in Gibraltar and at sea. There was also a mass chiming of bells across the country.
The BBC quoted the dabbawalas of Mumbai, who had sent representatives to the wedding of Charles and Camilla in 2005. They were included at the “class no bar” wedding dinner where Philip was present.