U.K. military gun salutes honor Prince Philip; funeral to be held April 17

Coordinated gun salutes echoed across the United Kingdom on Saturday to honor the late Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II. He died Friday at the age of 99. A small funeral is set for April 17 at Windsor Castle.

Starting at noon local time, members of the Royal Artillery fired one round each minute, totaling 41 rounds. The ceremonies occurred in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast — as well as on multiple Royal Navy warships and in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.

Philip was married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 73 years. He holds the longest tenure as a royal consort in the history of the British monarchy.

"The Armed Forces are immensely proud of their close relationship with Prince Philip," the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement after the gun salutes began. The late prince had served as a Royal Navy officer and held multiple military titles within the British Armed Forces.

Gun salutes are a tradition in the U.K. spanning back at least three centuries to commemorate national events. Salutes were carried out following the deaths of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria. In 2017, 41 rounds were also fired to celebrate Queen Elizabeth reaching 65 years as queen.

Two gun salutes were held in London on Saturday. Notably, at the royal marine base, Woolwich Barracks, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired from the same guns used in gun salutes to honor the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1947 as well as the queen's coronation in 1953.

The Honourable Artillery Company also carried out a gun salute from the Tower of London as crowds watched from the Tower Bridge

Earlier Saturday morning, representatives from the Household Calvary also stood in front of Windsor Castle, where Philip died, and held a moment of silence for two minutes.

Due to the ongoing public health concerns over the coronavirus, the British public have been urged to avoid congregating in big groups to honor Philip.

"During this time the Royal Family ask that members of the public consider making a donation to a charity instead of leaving floral tributes in memory of The Duke of Edinburgh," the Royal Family said in a statement Friday. There is also an online condolence book the public can sign.

That said, a line of people hoping to leave flowers has formed in front of Buckingham Palace. Crowds are also congregating outside Windsor Castle.

Prince Philip’s royal ceremonial funeral will take place April 17 at Windsor Castle — a slimmed-down service amid the COVID-19 pandemic that will be entirely closed to the public.

Philip took part in planning his funeral, and its focus on family was in accordance with his wishes.

“Although the ceremonial arrangements are reduced, the occasion will still celebrate and recognize the duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the UK and the Commonwealth,” a palace spokesman said Saturday while speaking on condition of anonymity in line with policy.

Prince Harry, Philip's grandson who stepped away from royal duties last year and now lives in California, will attend the service along with other members of the royal family. His wife, the duchess of Sussex, who is pregnant, has been advised by her doctor not to attend.

Palace officials said the ceremony would be conducted strictly in line with the British government's COVID-19 guidelines, which restrict the number of people attending funerals to 30. They declined to say whether the royal family would be required to wear masks.

Philip will lie at rest at Windsor Castle instead of lying in state, a choice he made before his death.

Prince Charles on Saturday said the royal family is “deeply grateful’’ for outpouring of support they’ve received following the death of his father.

In a statement to the nation, the heir to the throne said he is touched by the number of people around the world who have shared the family’s loss and sorrow.

Charles said “my dear Papa was a very special person who I think, above all else, would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him. And from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that. It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time.’’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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