Queen Elizabeth and her family paid their last respects to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Saturday at a funeral that celebrated his naval past, his international heritage and his service to the UK.

The Queen, dressed in black and in a white trimmed black mask, stood alone as the funeral service began in St George's Chapel, which dates back to 1475.

Mourners at the ceremony in Windsor Castle, including Prince Charles and his sons Princes William and Harry, were limited in number and separated because of COVID-19 rules.

 

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"We are here today in St George's Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," the Dean of Windsor, David Conner, said.

"We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith."

After the nation observed a minute's silence in brilliant sunshine, Harry and William took up their places on opposite sides of the chapel with the final resting place of Tudor monarch Henry VIII dividing them.

The Duke of Edinburgh died aged 99 on April 9. The Queen in 1997 described the Duke as her "strength and stay" over their decades of marriage.

His naval cap and sword lay on top of the coffin, which was covered with his personal standard featuring the Danish coat of arms, the Greek cross, Edinburgh Castle and the stripes of the Mountbatten family.

The choir sang a sailors' hymn, Eternal Father, Strong to Save, and shortly before he was lowered into the Royal Vault, the Russian Kontakion of the Departed, a hymn of the Orthodox and Eastern churches, echoed around the ancient church.

The Duke's coffin was borne to the chapel on a bespoke Land Rover Defender TD 130 in military green as a minute gun fired eight times.

Watch: Royal historian Professor Anna Whitelock reflects on the day's events:

Before the procession, military bands spaced out across the quadrangle of Windsor Castle to play the prince's chosen music, including I Vow To Thee My Country, Jerusalem and Nimrod.

The Duke, who married Elizabeth in 1947, helped her adapt the monarchy to the changing world of the post-World War II era as the loss of empire and the decline of deference challenged the world's most prominent royal family.

She has now been widowed just as she grapples with one of the gravest crises to hit the royal family in decades – allegations of racism and lack of support from her grandson Prince Harry and his American-born wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.

The funeral was Harry's first public appearance since the television interview in which he and the Duchess spoke of their struggles with the family.

 

The Duchess watched the funeral at her home in California after she was advised by her doctor not to travel while pregnant. U.S. television networks showed the funeral live, as did British TV stations.

There were just 30 mourners inside the chapel for the service because of continuing coronavirus restrictions in Britain.

The Duke of Edinburgh's dedication to his duty earned him widespread popularity in Britain, and he was also known for his off-the-cuff comments which would shock princes, priests and presidents.

"He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm and also because you never knew what he might say next," Harry said of his grandfather.

The Duke was a decorated Royal Navy veteran of World War II and his funeral, much of which was planned in meticulous detail by the Duke himself, had a strong military feel, with personnel from across the armed forces playing prominent roles.

 

Watch: CGTN's Guy Henderson reports on the mood in Windsor on Saturday: