‘Prince Philip was very beloved’: Mourners pay respects to Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace
Hundreds of people gathered in the sunshine outside Buckingham Palace on Friday afternoon following the the death of Prince Philip.
The Palace announced the news of the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing “with deep sorrow”, adding that he “passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle”.
Visitors laid flowers and condolence messages at the gates, and many stood still outside in silence to pay their respects to “a great man”. Some called friends and family on FaceTime to allow them to pay their respects virtually.
A handful of people were seen wiping away tears at the emotional scenes, but the general consensus was that Prince Philip had lived a full and rich life worth celebrating.
Dennis and Martsie Webb, who have lived in London for three years but are originally from Salt Lake City in Utah, came to the palace to mark the occasion and show their solidarity with the British people.
Mr Webb told The Independent: “We recognise how precious the monarchy is to the British people and its impact around the world, and wanted to come here to pay our respects to the great man that Prince Philip was.
“He was wonderful, served in the Second World War to defend liberty and freedom and dedicated his life to public service.”
Ms Webb said that the Queen had “married very well” when she married the duke.
“She is loved by the people, but so was Prince Philip,” she said. “They had a good thing going, had the key to a happy marriage and we should celebrate that.”
Others were concerned about how Queen Elizabeth would cope with the death of her husband.
Filipino couple James Melo and Almeda Laoang, who are British citizens, said they love the royal family and were sad when they heard about Prince Philip.
“I think that this will be hard for the Queen, the death of her husband is very tragic,” said Mr Melo. “But we were not surprised, we saw on the news that he was in hospital not so long ago. I hope the Queen will be alright.”
Mr Melo also said he had expected more people to be at the palace, but attributed the relatively small numbers to the coronavirus pandemic and the working day.
“If you come back tomorrow and Sunday, I’m sure this whole area will be packed out,” he said. “People love the royal family very much, just like we do.”
A number of young people visited the palace, both out of respect and curiosity. A group of four friends from Farringdon told The Independent that the news of Prince Philip’s death came as a “shock” to them.
Amy, Harris, Theresa and Sharm stood by the gate to look at the flowers laid in tribute and spoke about what a huge public figure the duke had been.
“It really is such a big deal, we didn’t have any plans today but when we heard the news, we thought we should come to Buckingham Palace to pay our respects,” said Amy.
Theresa, who received the news from her mother, said: “The country is a bit shaken up. I was definitely shocked, but it’s a good age to live to, 99.”
The group said they thought Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, would return to England for the funeral.
“It would be rude of [Harry and Meghan] not to come back,” said Sharm. “I think they have to.”
Theresa added: “Yes, they have a complicated relationship, but family is family.”
Mourners also made their way to Windsor Castle to pay tribute to the duke. The atmosphere was calm and cheery as hundreds gathered around the castle grounds to remember Prince Phillip.
Many laid flowers at the top of the iconic Long Walk, while others stood in silence, taking a moment to pay their respects.
Navneet Khoso, who went to lay flowers, told The Independent: “We have utmost respect for the Queen and Prince Philip, and I grew up not far away from here, just a half hour down the road. They were the fabric of the society, really, and such great role models. Amazing service, wonderful people and a great example to everyone.”
Another mourner, Justin Elliot, said the number of people at the castle was a reminder of “how much [Prince Philip] was loved”.
“It reminds us … of how people warmed to him, from all over the country, but also tourists here from all over the world. He was very much admired,” he added.
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