Notice of Philip’s death briefly on display outside Buckingham Palace
The official confirmation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death was removed to prevent crowds gathering during the pandemic.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s death was confirmed with the age-old tradition of placing a notice on the railings of Buckingham Palace.
A brief bulletin, on paper set in a foolscap imperial-sized dark wooden frame, is used to notify the public of key royal events such as births and deaths.
But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the notice has already been taken down to prevent crowds forming during the pandemic.
Usually, the statement, which was put in place by Royal Household staff wearing black face masks, would have remained in place for 24 hours.
The statement, which was headed with a royal crest and the words Windsor Castle, read: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.
“Further announcements will be made in due course
“The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.
“Friday, April 9 2021.”
A police officer stood guard over the glass fronted frame, which is usually fixed to the outside of the iron railings by two small metal chains on the back.
The deaths of George VI and George V were also announced this way.
The traditional method of delivering royal news was used for, among other occasions, Prince William’s birth in 1982 and Peter Phillips’ in 1977.
When the Queen gave birth to Prince Andrew in 1960, some 2,000 people crowded around the railings to see the official confirmation.
For each of the births of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Cambridge, as well as their cousin Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, the same wooden frame was used to highlight their arrivals.
Announcements used to be hand-written but now are mostly typed.
