Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle be at Prince Philip's funeral?

Prince Harry will attend the Duke of Edinburgh's burial on Saturday due to government rules in England that allow international travellers to attend the funerals of loved ones.

Buckingham Palace announced the funeral for Prince Philip, who died on Friday, will take place at Windsor Castle on April 17. He was 99.

The duke is expected to be laid to rest at the Royal Burial Ground on Frogmore Estate, part of Windsor Home Park, not far from the castle.

The funeral procession and ceremony will be greatly scaled back because of the UK's Covid-19 restrictions, which allow only 30 people in attendance.

Prince Harry will be there but his wife Meghan Markle, who is heavily pregnant, has been advised by her doctor to stay at home in California.

Arrivals in England from a foreign country must isolate themselves for 10 days.

Those who have travelled through a "red list" country with a high infection risk must stay in a hotel for quarantine.

It is not yet known when Harry will arrive back in England or how long he will be in isolation, but government restrictions allow mourners to attend funerals, as long as rules are followed.

They must return to isolation when services are over. And those with coronavirus symptoms must remain in isolation.

Under the English government's Test to Release scheme, anyone can leave mandatory isolation after five days if they pay for a private Covid-19 test and the result is negative.

Plans for Prince Philip's funeral

Buckingham Palace says the ceremony will take place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, at 3pm on Saturday.

It will be preceded by a national minute's silence.

Public elements of the funeral have been taken out and the whole service will be televised from behind castle walls to prevent large crowds from assembling.

Harry and Meghan were married at St George's Chapel in 2018.

A more sombre mood will prevail as Harry returns from the US, where he and Meghan moved last year and from where they have launched broadsides against the royals, including charges of racism and neglecting her mental health.

"Operation Forth Bridge" had originally planned for 800 people to attend the duke's funeral. Now, it is a much smaller affair.

Queen Elizabeth II, 94, is expected to be joined at the service by her four children – Charles, 72, Anne, 70, Andrew, 61, and Edward, 57 – and grandchildren, as well as other close family members.

All will have to wear face masks and observe social distancing rules.

Britain's longest-serving consort, the duke was well known for his aversion to "fuss".

His coffin is in the private chapel of Windsor Castle but will be moved on the morning of the funeral in a small ceremonial procession to St George's Chapel.

The coffin will then be taken in a specially modified Land Rover that the duke helped to design. Charles and other senior royals will follow on foot.

The coffin will be draped with Philip's personal standard and decorated with a wreath of flowers, as well as his naval cap and sword.

There will be a strong military presence at the funeral, reflecting his life in and association with the armed forces, including representative detachments in the castle grounds.

The route of the procession will be lined by members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and several British Army units.

Field guns from the castle's east lawn will be fired during the procession, as a mourning bell tolls.

A military guard of honour and band will receive the coffin, and God Save the Queen – the national anthem – will be played.

Royal Marine pallbearers will carry the coffin up the steps and pause for the minute's silence before the coffin is received by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Windsor.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has of course required us to make significant adaptations to the original arrangements for His Royal Highness's funeral," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

"However, we are certain that the occasion will be no less fitting a farewell to His Royal Highness, marking his significant duty and service to the nation and the Commonwealth.

"Despite these necessary changes, they still very much reflect the personal wishes of the duke.

"Although the ceremonial arrangements are reduced, the occasion will still celebrate and recognise the duke's life and his more than 70 years of service to the Queen, the UK and the Commonwealth."

A period of national mourning began on Friday and will run until the day of the funeral. The royal family will observe two weeks' mourning.