The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle will not be travelling to the United Kingdom to attend the funeral of her husband's grandfather, Buckingham Palace announced in a statement on Saturday.
The duchess, pregnant with her second child, will miss the ceremony on advice from her doctor. Her husband Prince Harry "is planning" to attend the service, the statement added without specifying whether arrangements for his arrival have been made.
The ceremony will take place on 17 April at St George's Chapel in Windsor castle after eight days of national mourning. The royal family will remain in mourning for two weeks, the spokesman for Buckingham Palace said.
The funeral will follow existing COVID guidelines and will only be attended by up to 30 people as a result, he added.
Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99 on Friday morning at Windsor Castle. In line with his wishes, the duke will not have a state funeral and there will be no lying-in-state.
Prince Charles, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II's first son, has paid homage to his father, who he said will be "missed enormously".
"My dear papa was a very special person who, I think, above all else, would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him", Prince Charles speaking at his Highgrove House residence.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son Archie are currently living in Los Angeles after abdicating their royal duties. If Prince Harry attends the funeral, he might have to comply with coronavirus regulations for foreign travellers and quarantine.
