UK falls silent to remember Duke of Edinburgh
People outside royal residences, in sports venues and at pubs across the country observed the minute’s silence.
People across the UK have observed a minute’s silence for the Duke of Edinburgh in unison with mourners at his funeral.
As members of the royal family fell silent at 3pm at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, members of the public across the country – and Prime Minister Boris Johnson – did the same.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a gunshot to signal the start of the silence at Windsor, with the pallbearers carrying Philip’s coffin and members of the royal family following it pausing in their positions, while those already inside the chapel also fell silent.
Gun salutes took place at the same time performed by royal regiments at sites including Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, Cardiff Castle and Edinburgh Castle, as well as on Royal Navy warships deployed in Portsmouth, Devonport and overseas.
Outside Windsor Castle and the nearby Long Walk, hundreds of mourners who had lined the streets clutching Union flags and flowers fell quiet.
Artist Kaya Mar, 65, who stood alongside an oil painting of Philip which he made last week, was among those who paused to remember the duke as armed officers stationed above surrounding buildings watched on.
Meanwhile, a crowd gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace also observed the silence.
Mr Johnson, who has said his “thoughts are with Her Majesty and her family”, was pictured with his head bowed and wearing a black suit and tie as he fell silent outside his country residence of Chequers, where he watched the funeral as it was broadcast live.
The Prime Minister was unable to attend in person due to coronavirus restrictions limiting the guest list to just 30 people.
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster took part in the silence from Enniskillen Castle in County Fermanagh, while her Scottish counterpart Nicola Sturgeon paused on the steps of Bute House in Edinburgh.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, who sent a flower wreath to the duke’s funeral on behalf of the people of Wales, also marked the silence.
At Philip’s former school – Gordonstoun in Moray, northern Scotland – pupils fell silent outside the main building, after laying a wreath off nearby Hopeman Harbour, where the duke learned to sail.
Meanwhile, staff and punters at pubs and social clubs named after the nation’s longest serving consort also fell silent, including at the Duke of Edinburgh pub in Hull and the Prince Philip Community Centre in Leeds.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Twitter that she observed the minute’s silence “to remember the lifetime service of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh”.
At sports grounds, players observed a silence before the Sky Bet Championship match at City Ground, Nottingham, between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest. A huge graphic of the duke was shown ahead of the Sky Bet League One match between Charlton and Ipswich at The Valley in London.
Snooker players and spectators at the World Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield also paused at 3pm.
