Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021, just a few months shy of his 100th birthday. Due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time, the funeral, which took place on 17 April 2021, was a small affair, with only 30 guests.
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Naturally, the guests included the Royal Family. Prince Harry was in attendance, but his wife, Meghan, had been advised not to travel as she was six months pregnant with Lilibet. Moreover, the Duchess of Sussex may not have been welcome, as the funeral came shortly after the couple’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Prince Philip wanted fuss-free funeral for himself
According to reports, Prince Philip played a major role in planning his own funeral before his passing. He allegedly made it clear he wanted ‘no fuss’ and said, ‘just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor’.
As reported by Daily Mail, the Duke of Edinburgh had picked out his vehicle 18 years prior. Prince Philip chose a Land Rover and had it repainted dark bronze-green, the colour used for military Land Rovers, to remember the Prince’s background.
The funeral took place at St George’s Chapel. Several family members laid wreaths to honour Prince Philip. However, the one that reportedly caused issues was the one laid by Prince Harry and Meghan.
Prince Harry and Meghan's tribute under scrutiny
As anything Prince Harry and Meghan does, their carefully-thought-out decision was picked apart by the public and the media. This time around, it was because they were the only members of the family to post on social media about their wreath. The wreath was already being talked about for its unconventional colour, but the main focus was the tribute made by the couple on social media.
According to Daily Mail, shortly after the funeral, royal expert and author Omid Scobie had already retweeted the tribute made by Prince Harry and Meghan. The post read:
BAZAAR.com can confirm that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan contributed a custom wreath that was laid in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh at his funeral service at Windsor Castle today. A card, handwritten by Meghan herself, also accompanied the wreath.
The couple issued a press release detailing the wreath and which flowers were used and why. This prompted some to accuse them of making the funeral about themselves. However, when you go into the significance of each flower, one can't help but notice the amount of effort that was put into making the wreath.
The significance of the flowers chosen by Prince Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry and Meghan’s wreath for Prince Philip’s funeral was very different to the others, as it was quite colourful. Each flower had a significance.
The wreath featured Bear’s breeches, which is the national flower of Greece, an homage to Prince Philip’s birthplace. It also had sea holly to represent the Duke’s affinity with the water and to honour his career in the Royal Navy.
The wreath was decorated with campanula to represent gratitude and everlasting love, rosemary to signify remembrance, lavender for devotion, and roses in honour of June being Philip's birth month.
The wreath was made by Prince Harry and Meghan’s favourite Cotswolds florist, who had also done the flower arrangements at their wedding and Archie’s christening.
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Sources used:
Daily Mail: ‘Inside the row Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caused at Prince Philip's funeral: Fury was unleashed after they were the only family members to include a Press release with their wreath - as critics labelled the stunt 'sickening' and a 'PR move'
The Independent: ‘The symbolic meaning behind all the flowers in Harry and Meghan’s wreath for Prince Philip’
