Queen had to make 'difficult decisions' about Prince Philip's funeral; will sit alone at ceremony

While mourning the demise of her husband Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II also had to prepare herself to "make some difficult decisions" about the funeral plans.

The queen, who was already dealing with several conflicts within her family, had to ensure that the funeral goes without any hiccups. However, the task was even more difficult as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic limited the number of guests allowed to attend the funeral to 30.

Under normal circumstances, the funeral of the Prince Consort on Saturday would have been attended by thousands of people including members of the public. But due to the pandemic, even those who were known to the Duke of Edinburgh will not be able to pay him respects for the last time.

A royal spokesperson told People magazine that it was the Queen who had to take on the responsibility of choosing who could be there to keep with the 30-person limit.

"We are dealing with a family funeral and at its heart it is still a family event," the spokesman said.

The guest list for the funeral released by Buckingham Palace on Thursday revealed that it will be attended by the Duke's wife, four children, eight grandchildren, and close family members and friends. His wife will have to sit alone at the service, as social-distancing guidelines dictate that family members from different households must stay apart.

However, the monarch will have some company on the way from Windsor Castle, where Prince Philip spent his last days, to St. George's Chapel, where his funeral is being held. One of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting will be with her along the way, but won't be allowed the enter the chapel due to the restricted guest list of 30 people, reports Mail Online.

The Palace has not specified which lady-in-waiting has been chosen by the queen to accompany her in the vehicle. These ladies, who are personally chosen by the monarch and have a variety of duties including handling her correspondence, have been a part of her "HMS" bubble, the 20-member staff who attended to her during the pandemic.

They include two senior ladies-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey and Ann Fortune FitzRoy, and eight others- Susan Rhodes, Lady Elizabeth Leeming, Virginia Ogilvy, The Hon Mary Morrison, Richenda Elton, The Hon Mrs. Whitehead, Mrs. Michael Gordon Lennox, and Mrs. Robert de Pass.

The 94-year-old monarch, who has received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, will leave the Sovereign's Entrance of her Berkshire home in the state Bentley and will don a face mask before entering the chapel.