Prince William ‘requested Peter Phillips stand between him and Harry at Philip’s funeral’

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Prince William asked for Peter Phillips to stand between him and Harry during Prince Philip’s funeral procession yesterday, it has been claimed. 

The brothers were separated by Princess Anne’s son as they walked behind the Duke of Edinburgh‘s coffin while it made its way to St George’s Chapel in Windsor yesterday afternoon. 

It was the first time William and Harry had appeared together in public since Megxit saw the Duke of Sussex leave for LA with wife Meghan.

The brothers seemed to reconcile as they left St George’s Chapel after the service, however there appeared to be a degree of tension between them beforehand.

Sources have now told The Mail on Sunday that Harry has experienced ‘a great deal of frostiness’ from many of his relatives since arriving in Britain a week ago and self- isolating at Frogmore Cottage, the house given to him and Meghan as a wedding present by the Queen. 

Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie failed to acknowledge Harry before or during yesterday’s service, it was claimed. 

‘Ironically the only one who has expressed any sympathy towards him is Prince Andrew,’ said one source.

‘He knows from Sarah Ferguson – and now first-hand – how it feels to be the outsider, which Harry very much is.

‘As far as the others are concerned, there is a deep sense of protection towards the Queen and resentment towards Harry. There is little sympathy for him after what he and Meghan said on Oprah.’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex accused the Royals of institutional racism during the bombshell 90-minute interview last month and claimed one member of the family – not the Queen or Prince Philip – questioned what colour their son Archie’s skin would be. 

‘They are still very upset,’ the source added. ‘They are putting on a united front for the Queen. They all think he has behaved appallingly.’

The siblings had maintained stony expressions yesterday as they walked behind their grandfather’s cortege, separated by Peter Phillips.

The Duke of Cambridge strode ahead of his brother as they entered the 15th Century chapel, and once inside the atmosphere remained frosty.

William sat with Kate directly opposite Harry but did not appear to make eye contact, instead preferring to focus his gaze towards his grandfather’s coffin.

However, it was reported last week that William had spoken briefly with his brother on the phone, although the source said communication had been ‘more texts than calls’.

Harry has spoken to his cousin Princess Eugenie who remains a steadfast friend. ‘He is thought to have seen Eugenie, most likely outside since she’s being strict with her new baby,’ said the insider. According to one report, William requested that Peter Phillips stand between him and Harry during the funeral cortege.

Asked about the claim, a friend of Harry said: ‘He’s just doing what he’s told and getting on with it.’ 

The last time the brothers were seen together in public was on March 9 last year when they attended a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey – with the tension between the Cambridges and Sussexes clear to see.

Aides were yesterday reported to have ‘been walking on eggshells’ all week as the funeral plans were tweaked, but there was relief that the brothers have spoken and done so publicly. 

The princes talked while walking out of St George’s Chapel following the service, in a sight which triggered hopes among royal fans of a reconciliation. 

As the Royals filed out of the chapel, Prince William spoke to the Right Reverend David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, while Harry chatted with Kate behind them. 

William was initially ahead of his wife and brother but turned back towards them to speak to Kate while Harry exchanged pleasantries with the Dean.

Harry then caught up with his brother and sister-in-law and they walked together for a while as William removed his face mask. 

Then, Kate stepped away to speak to the Countess of Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise – leaving the brothers alone. 

The brothers’ discussion came following an impromptu decision by some of the Royal Family to walk back to the castle, despite state cars having been put on for them – and it gave the cameras a chance to see them talk. 

Harry’s friend Tom Bradby, who was presenting ITV’s coverage of the funeral today, said: ‘Funerals are a time of reconciliation and that a sight, let’s be honest, that’s many wanted to see. Not least the family itself.’   

The Queen wiped away tears and was forced to mourn alone away from her family in St George’s Chapel during Prince Philip’s Covid-hit Windsor Castle funeral yesterday as she said an emotional final goodbye to her ‘strength and stay’ after their extraordinary 73-year life together.

Her Majesty looked grief-stricken and bowed her head in reverence as she accompanied her beloved husband’s coffin on its final journey while their eldest son Prince Charles cried as he walked behind the casket into church followed by other devastated royals. 

The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was covered in his personal standard and carried his sword, naval cap and a wreath of flowers with a handwritten note from his wife as pallbearers placed him on to his extraordinary self-designed green Land Rover Defender hearse in the castle’s quadrangle packed with hundreds of armed personnel. 

The Queen kept her husband poignantly close during the service by carrying special mementoes from their life together inside her handbag.

According to a Royal insider, the Queen was planning to include one of Philip‘s trademark white handkerchiefs, made by his Savile Row tailors Kent & Haste. The crisply folded squares, inserted into the breast pocket of a sharply cut suit, were an enduring feature of the Duke’s classic sartorial style.

In honour of their long marriage, she is also said to have carried a small photograph of the two of them together, thought to have been taken in Malta. 

The island was a deeply special place for both the Queen and Philip. As newlyweds they lived in Villa Guardamangia, on the outskirts of the capital Valletta, between 1949 and 1951, while the Prince was stationed there as a naval officer with HMS Magpie.

The Queen later described it as one of the best periods of her life as it was the only time she was able to live ‘normally’. The couple returned often, including to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007.

During her husband’s Covid-secure Windsor Castle funeral, the grief-stricken monarch left a personal, handwritten message to Philip placed alongside a wreath of white lilies, small white roses and white freesia chosen by her.

Photos from yesterday afternoon show only a glimpse of the note, which appears to be written on official card from Buckingham Palace. However, the Palace has not yet confirmed the content of the note. 

After the eight minute procession and the 50 minute service, Prince Philip’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault yesterday afternoon. 

A lament was played by a lone piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Last Post was then sounded by buglers of Philip’s beloved Royal Marines who then played Action Stations at the specific request of The Duke of Edinburgh.  

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, pronounced the Blessing before the 30 royal mourners silently filed out of the church into cars to take them the short journey back to castle. Harry and William decided to walk back with Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and were seen smiling speaking animatedly as they were reunited for the first time in a year where their relationship became fractured. 

The emotional Queen had arrived at the funeral as the national anthem played and the royal Bentley stopped next to her beloved husband’s coffin, where she poignantly paused for a moment of reflection as cannons fired and bells tolled in remembrance of the duke, wiping tears from her eyes.

Her Majesty was then driven to St George’s Chapel with her lady in waiting Susan Hussey, before being sat alone at the front of the church where she stood and bowed her head during the national minute’s silence. She looked at the coffin throughout the poignant service, where the majority of her children and grandchildren were on the verge of tears. 

Following behind the coffin was the royal procession, led by Philip’s children Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. The grandchildren, including Prince William and Prince Harry, followed but the feuding brothers were separated by their cousin Peter Phillips, viewed as a ‘peacemaker’ between the two. 

The Duke of Cambridge entered the chapel one place ahead of his younger brother, as the mourners filed into the historic gothic chapel without saying anything to each other. But they later spoke as they walked back to the castle, with Kate taking a step back to let them spend time alone.

The Queen had decided that no royals should wear military uniform after Prince Andrew demanded to dress as an Admiral and Prince Harry was stripped of his titles. They were allowed to wear their medals, however. Andrew was seen driving away in a casual suit and aviator sunglasses around an hour after the funeral ended.

The Queen wore Queen Mary’s Richmond Brooch, while Camilla wore the Rifles Brooch. The Duchess of Cornwall wore the brooch in July 2020 when Philip’s role as Colonel-in-Chief of the infantry regiment The Rifles was formally handed over to her.

Kate wore a necklace and earrings borrowed from the Queen.

After the funeral ended at 3.49pm, the Queen led the Royal Family from the chapel, followed by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

She had a brief conversation with the Dean of Windsor outside the chapel before being driven away.

Other members of the royal family walked away from the chapel in small groups, chatting as they walked through the sunlit grounds, including William and Harry.

Many of the royals only stayed at the castle for a short period before heading home.