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Queen carries out first royal duty since Prince Philip’s death

<p>Her Majesty hosted a ceremony in which the 3rd Earl Peel formally stood down as Lord Chamberlain</p> (PA Wire)

Her Majesty hosted a ceremony in which the 3rd Earl Peel formally stood down as Lord Chamberlain

(PA Wire)

The Queen has demonstrated her remarkable stoicism by conducting her first personal royal duty since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Her Majesty hosted a ceremony in which the 3rd Earl Peel formally stood down as Lord Chamberlain — whose palace office organises royal ceremonies including funerals — days after Prince Philip’s death on Friday.

The monarch’s sense of duty once again shows her determination and commitment at a time of national mourning. She will officially return to work on April 22, one day after her 95th birthday.

During the private event with Earl Peel at Windsor Castle, the Queen accepted the wand and office insignia of the former courtier, who is a great-great-grandson of two-time prime minister Sir Robert Peel.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral will take place at St George’s Chapel in the castle grounds on Saturday.

The royal family is observing two weeks of mourning. However, a royal official confirmed that family members would undertake engagements that were “appropriate to the circumstances”.

Earl Peel, who was educated at Ampleforth, announced last year that he would retire as Lord Chamberlain. His successor, Baron Parker, a former MI5 chief, started in the role just over a week before the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Yesterday’s official engagement was recorded in the Court Circular — a daily list of the events attended by Her Majesty and her family.

It read: “The Earl Peel had an audience of The Queen today, delivered up his Wand and Insignia of Office as Lord Chamberlain and the Badge of Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Lord Chamberlain, when Her Majesty invested him with the Royal Victorian Chain.”

The Queen recently conferred a prestigious honour on Earl Peel, making him a Permanent Lord in Waiting.

Meanwhile, as part of security preparations for Prince Philip’s funeral, Thames Valley Police are carrying out specialist searches around Windsor town, with officers examining street furniture including phone boxes and post boxes, as well as bins and drains.

The force said it had put in place a range of visible and covert security measures for Saturday.

It will be a royal funeral like no other, with the Queen and her family wearing face masks and socially distancing as they gather to say their final farewell.

The Queen may have to sit alone during the service due to social distancing rules, the Telegraph reported.

She is staying at Windsor with a reduced number of staff, about 22, in what has been dubbed “HMS Bubble” during the pandemic.

Philip’s long-standing close aide, his private secretary Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell, will be possibly the only non-royal attending the funeral. As a member of HMS Bubble, he could be the only person eligible to sit with the Queen.

The Queen will be fully supported by her wider family as she returns to work. Senior members of the family will accompany her to engagements, meaning a greater role for the Duke of York’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Her Majesty will continue to fulfil her role as Head of State and “Head of the Nation”, supported by the Prince of Wales — who she is set to honour by giving Philip’s title The Duke of Edinburgh cementing his role as her “liege man” and patriarch of the family.

The funeral takes place just weeks after Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who now live in California, publicly criticised the royal family amid a rift with Prince William.

It was reported last night that the two brothers — who Harry has described as being on separate “paths” — have spoken since he returned to Britain for the funeral.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, paid tribute to their grandfather in separate statements yesterday, amid hopes that his passing could lead to a reconciliation between the brothers. Broadcasters have yet to confirm their plans for Philip’s funeral, but the BBC and ITV are likely to devote several hours to the event, including the ceremony at 3pm.

Meanwhile, mourners from around the world continue to pay their respects to the duke.

Tamer Calisir, 44, from Turkey, came to Buckingham Palace this morning to remember him.

“Prince Philip was an important character for the royal family and the UK, and I know he played a big part in the education of young people,” he said.

“My daughter, who is 11, wore black all day at the weekend for him. She was very sad to hear of his death.

“The UK has lost a contemporary and important figure and I see why people want to come here to mourn. But I understand why they have asked crowds to stay away, which is why we aren’t all coming here together.”

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