Will Prince William and Kate Middleton's children attend Prince Philip's funeral?

THIEPVAL, FRANCE - JULY 01: French President, Francois Hollande, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the commemoration of the Battle of the Somme at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Thiepval Memorial on July 1, 2016 in Thiepval, France. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

(Image credit: Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty)

published 12 April 2021

Prince Philip's funeral, which will take place on April 17 at Windsor Chapel, will look nothing like previous official royal ceremonies.

The guest list will be kept at a minimum due to Covid-19 restrictions, with only 30 people permitted to attend the service. This small group will of course include the Queen, as well as the four adult children she shares with the late Duke of Edinburgh – Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

The spouses of the couple's children are also invited. Prince Charles is to be joined by his wife Camilla Parker Bowles, while Princess Anne's husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, will also attend. Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, is another royal-in-law expected in the pews.

Prince Harry has arrived back in the UK to join the Royal Family in mourning, marking his first trip back to the country since his stateside move last year. His wife, Meghan Markle, who is heavily pregnant with the couple's second child, has remained in the US under the advice of her doctor.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will also be present, but they are expected to leave their three children in the care of a nanny in Kensington Palace.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: In this screengrab, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Prince Louis of Cambridge clap for NHS carers as part of the BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief 'Big Night In at London on April 23, 2020 in London, England.The 'Big Night In' brings the nation an evening of unforgettable entertainment in a way we've never seen before. Raising money for and paying tribute to those on the front line fighting Covid-19 and all the unsung heroes supporting their communities. (Photo by Comic Relief/BBC Children in Need/Comic Relief via Getty Images) — Prince William and Kate Middleton are said to be very protective of their three children

While the reasons behind this decision have not been confirmed, royal experts have speculated that it stems from the couple's desire to protect Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis from the public eye.

The day is also likely to be highly emotional for William and Harry, who will speak face-to-face for the first time since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's explosive interview with Oprah last month. Despite the tense nature of their relationship, the brothers predicted to walk shoulder to shoulder at Prince Philip's funeral.

Prince William and Prince Harry will also have plenty of cousins to lean on for support during the somber event. Prince Philip's other grown-up grandchildren who will attend include Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and Viscount Severn.

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Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.