Sadly due to her pregnancy, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was unable to attend Prince Philip's funeral in person today (she was advised not to fly over from Montecito, where she and husband Prince Harry now live, after stepping down as senior working members of the Royal Family).
However, still wanting to pay her respects to her grandfather-in-law, the Duchess made sure that a very personal wreath, featuring a sentimental handwritten note from herself, was laid during the ceremony. A spokesperson for the Sussexes has also confirmed that Meghan watched the televised event from home.
The wreath of flowers sent by Meghan and Harry was designed, according to Harper's Bazaar, by one of their favourite florists, Willow Crossley, who provided beautiful floral arrangements for the evening portion of their wedding, as well as for their son Archie's christening.
It's said that the special wreath includes symbolic flowers that were picked with deliberate care, such as bear's breeches, the national flower of Greece (so as to pay homage to Prince Philip's heritage) and sea holly, which is a clear nod to the Duke's time spent in the Royal Marines.
Other poignant flowers featured in the wreath include campanula (said to signify eternal love and gratitude), rosemary (a traditional flower of remembrance), lavender to show devotion and roses in honour of Prince Philip's birth month, June.
Meghan wasn't the only high profile member of the Royal Family not in attendance – Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children, Prince George (who is set to one day become king), Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not present at the event either.
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This could have been due to coronavirus-related restrictions putting a cap on the guest list (only thirty of the Duke of Edinburgh's closest friends and family members were able to enter St George's Chapel for the funeral), or because they were deemed too young to attend such a sad and sombre event.
During the service, again due to COVID-19 rules, Her Majesty had to sit alone and social distance from the rest of the congregation, none of whom are members of her household. She was, however, able to travel there with her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey, which will have no doubt been of some small comfort.
Our thoughts are with all of Prince Philip's loved ones during this very sad time.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
