Prince Philip’s casket was buried in the Royal Vault during his televised funeral, in a historic first for the royal family.
The move, in which the chest was carried under the quire floor of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, is normally done in private, according to royal commentators.
Joe Little, editor-in-chief of the revista Your Majesty , described the idea of filming it as “unique” earlier this week.
“It’s clearly an intimate moment, usually only seen by the royal family,” he said.
Although cameras did not capture the entire process, television coverage showed the beginning of the lowering of the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin.
The cameras are then cut off and trumpets are blown to honor the Duke’s life for the last time. By the time the statues resumed in the main chapel, the chest had completely descended into the vault and only a hole in the black and white tile floor could be seen.
Felipe’s coffin was placed in the vault on a catafalque, covered with his personal stand and decorated with a crown of flowers and his cap and sea sword.
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The Duke personally chose the insignia, along with his Royal Air Force wings and Field Marshal’s Staff, which had previously been placed on nine cushions near the altar during the service.
Also buried in the Windsor Vault, which was built between 1804 and 1810 for George III, who died in 1820 and is one of the three kings buried there are George IV and William IV.
Others buried there include George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte and their daughter, Princess Amelia, George IV’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, and Queen Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent.
The Queen’s father, George VI, was originally buried in the vault, but was later moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel, built next to the quire’s north aisle between 1968 and 1969.
The small chapel houses the remains of George VI, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
It is where the queen will be buried when she dies, after which Felipe will move there to meet his wife of over 73 years old.
At George VI’s funeral in 1952, his coffin was also lowered into the vault, but, in sharp contrast to Felipe’s, the event was not televised, so the operation of the electric motor used had not been broadcast until now.
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