Solemnity of Prince Philip’s funeral ‘resonated’ with military exemplar

Australian defence attache Guy Holthouse reflects on Prince Philip’s funeral.

Commodore Guy Holthouse, who represented Australia at Prince Philip's funeral. Picture: Tristan Potter

Australian defence attache Guy Holthouse said the “enormity, importance and solemnity’’ of Prince Philip’s funeral, held just metres away, resonated strongly with him.

Commodore Holthouse was one of four Commonwealth military representatives specially invited to attend the ceremonial aspects of Philip’s funeral, standing in the Horseshoe Cloister near the foot of the stairs leading into St George’s Chapel.

Philip had been an enthusiastic supporter of the Australian military: his first job was as an 18-year-old midshipman in the Royal Navy on HMS Ramillies, which escorted Australian and New Zealand troop convoys to Suez for four months in 1940 during World War II.

Commodore Holthouse said of Saturday’s sad occasion: “It was a military funeral for a military officer executive by the military. He kept his relation­ship with the military his entire life and that was in evidence today.’’

He said the military had practised their performance on Thursday but the funeral on Saturday was emotional. “On the day, the enormity, importance and solemnity resonated, shall we say, with me,’’ he said.

Commodore Holthouse and the other military personnel ­saluted snappily upon the arrival of the Queen and when the coffin entered the church.

During the funeral, Commodore Holthouse was taken to the undercroft of the chapel to watch the service on television.

“It was the duke’s wishes that the military be involved and that there be representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago,’’ said Commodore Holthouse.