Queen returns to royal duties after death of Prince Philip

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Soldiers from the Welsh Guards bow their heads as they rehearse for Britain's Prince Philip's funeral on the Drill Square at the Army Training Centre Pirbright in Woking, Surrey, England Wednesday April 14, 2021. Prince Philip's funeral will be held at Windsor Castle on Saturday following his death at the age of 99 on April 10. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

LONDON ā€“ Queen Elizabeth II has returned to royal duties, four days after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, as preparations stepped up on Wednesday for his ceremonial funeral on the weekend.

The 94-year-old British monarch attended a retirement ceremony for a senior royal official on Tuesday, according to the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements.

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The royal family is observing two weeks of mourning for Philip, who died Friday at the age of 99. The palace has said family members will ā€œundertake engagements appropriate to the circumstancesā€ during the mourning period.

The family also released previously unseen photos as they shared memories of Philip. One photo shows the queen and Philip surrounded by seven of their great-grandchildren at a family gathering in 2018. The picture, which shows the queen holding a baby Prince Louis in her lap, is a rare image of the monarch holding one of her great-grandchildren.

The queen attended a ceremony at Windsor Castle for Lord Chamberlain Earl Peel, who has retired as the royal householdā€™s most senior official. He oversaw arrangements for the funeral of Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, until handing over to his successor days before the dukeā€™s death.

The queen and Philipā€™s daughter, Princess Anne, made a public appearance on Wednesday, visiting young sailors at the Royal Yacht Squadron sailing club on the Isle of Wight off Englandā€™s south coast. Prince Philip was a Royal Navy veteran and keen sailor.

His funeral will take place Saturday at Windsor Castle, with attendance limited to 30 because of coronavirus restrictions.

Although it is a scaled-down service because of the pandemic, hundreds of servicemen and women from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force will take part in the funeral procession, and Philipā€™s coffin will be borne to St. Georgeā€™s Chapel at the castle on a specially adapted Land Rover, which he designed himself.

Military personnel rehearsed for the event Wednesday at Army Training Centre Pirbright, near London. One of four Royal Marines buglers who will play ā€œThe Last Postā€ at the service said it was an ā€œhonor and privilegeā€ to perform the role.

ā€œItā€™s incredibly important. We feel nervous,ā€ said Sgt. Bugler Jamie Ritchie. ā€œWe feel the pressure, but weā€™re channeling that and weā€™re using that and weā€™re going to deliver an outstanding performance.ā€

Since Philipā€™s death his four children have all paid tribute to him, as have grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry.

Another grandchild, Eugenie, shared memories on Instagram of ā€œlearning how to cook, how to paint, what to readā€ with her ā€œdearest Grandpa.ā€

ā€œI remember laughing at your jokes and asking about your spectacular life and service in the navy,ā€ wrote Eugenie, who is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. ā€œI remember incinerating the sausages and you swooping in to save the day. I remember your hands and your laugh and your favourite beer."

ā€œI will remember you in your children, your grandchildren and great grandchildren," she wrote. ā€œThank you for your dedication and love for us all and especially Granny, who we will look after for you.ā€


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