Prince Philip funeral: Duke goes to rest in custom Land Rover

By Aaron Humes: His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will be laid to rest today after a mostly private and scaled back funeral service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England.

The send-off of the late husband of Queen Elizabeth II, 99, will be highly unusual — in part because coronavirus restrictions meant the ceremony had to be scaled back, but also because it comes just after a very public airing of a family rift. Many traditional elements will remain, with a military procession inside the castle and pall bearers from units with close links to Philip.

According to Reuters, the Prince’s coffin will be conveyed to church for his funeral service in a specially-commissioned Land Rover that the British royal himself helped design.

The choice of the bespoke modified Land Rover was in keeping with Philip’s original plans for the funeral.

Buckingham Palace said the prince started on the project with Land Rover 18 years ago with the hearse based on a Defender TD 130 chassis and then modified, with the open top rear section custom made to Philip’s specification.

It was painted Dark Bronze Green, a colour used for many military Land Rovers.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament on Monday it was fitting that Philip would be taken to his final resting place on a modified Land Rover.

“That vehicle’s unique and idiosyncratic silhouette reminds the world that he was above all a practical man, who could take something very traditional – whether a machine or indeed a great national institution – and find a way by his own ingenuity to improve it, to adapt it for the 20th or the 21st century,” Johnson said.

The ceremony is being televised around the world, including here in Belize where flags are at half-mast.

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