Queen Elizabeth’s attendance at Philip’s memorial is hanging in the balance

Why is there so much urgency around Prince Philip’s memorial/thanksgiving service on March 29? There’s so much finality to the energy around it, right? Prince Harry has made it clear that he wants to visit the Queen at some point soon, and it’s widely assumed that he may stop by the UK as he comes or goes from the Netherlands in April. But no, people keep acting like March 29th is the last time we’ll see the Queen. And even then, no one is sure that Queen Elizabeth will actually attend it, because she’s almost 96 years old and she refuses to use a wheelchair. Anyway, I was thinking about the weird energy around the memorial yet again because apparently other monarchs will make the journey to London for the service.

European monarchs have confirmed their attendance at Prince Philip’s memorial at the end of the month – but Queen Elizabeth’s attendance is now ‘in the balance’, a royal expert has claimed. It has now emerged Queen Elizabeth may not be able to attend the memorial service.

Speaking on True Royalty TV’s, Russell Myers told The Royal Beat: ‘You have to be realistic. [She is] just weeks away from 96, she has accepted her own limitations. She’s having issues moving around, [and is] described by people at the Palace as having good days and less good days… I don’t think we’ll ever see her step back, but we probably will see her less and less. Will she make Prince Philip’s memorial service in a few days? That’s in the balance.’

Meanwhile Alan Jones, Royal Correspondent for the UK’s Press Association news agency, adds: ‘The Queen obviously wanted to be at the Commonwealth Service… but she’s got mobility issues. The word we’ve been guided to use is the Queen’s comfort [is the priority].’

There are a host of other European royals set to fly into London to attend the service next week, including Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. Meanwhile Princess Beatrix, the former Queen of The Netherlands, will be joined by her son, King Willem-Alexander, and his wife, Queen Maxima at the event. It has also been confirmed King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium will pay their respects at the event, as well as Queen Margrethe of Denmark. Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania and Prince Radu will also attend the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of The Duke of Edinburgh next week.

While a guestlist has not been announced for the event, it is understood that senior members of the royal family including the Prince of Wales and Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Royal and husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex will be in attendance. It’s likely the Queen and Prince Philip’s other grandchildren will also attend, including Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, Zara Tindall and her husband Mike and Peter Philips.

Others from his funeral guest list to attend the memorial could include the Queen’s first cousins Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent, who loyally supported the monarch and Philip by carrying out royal duties over the decades. The children of the Queen’s late sister Princess Margaret – the Earl of Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband David Chatto – may also be in attendance.

Prince Philip’s best female friend from Sandringham, Penelope Knatchbull also attended his funeral in April, alongside three of Prince Philip’s German relatives. While it is unknown if they will definitely be in attendance, it’s likely they will be invited given their close relationship with the Duke.

[From The Daily Mail]

They already shortened the memorial service to just a brief 50 minutes, solely because the Queen doesn’t want to fart around at Westminster Abbey for hours, if she even attends. And with that many foreign dignitaries flying in, you know there will also be an expectation that the Queen should host a reception too. Is she going to make everyone trudge back to Windsor Castle after the service? Or will Queen Letizia, Queen Sonja and Queen Maxima all just board a flight back to their countries after an hour-long London trip? This thing is going to be such a mess. Maybe Prince Charles will be tasked with hosting something at St. James’s Palace, that would probably be the best solution. And why hasn’t the British side of the guest list been worked out yet? I need to know if Penelope Knatchbull (“Prince Philip’s best female friend”) will be in attendance.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.