MOURNING royals were told "you need to leave" after Prince Philip's funeral due to Covid rules, Mike Tindall revealed this morning.
The former rugby star, married to the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips, also told of his heartbreak Her Majesty was forced to sit alone.
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He told Good Morning Britain: "After the funeral it was sort of, ‘you all need to leave’, so you didn’t even get to have that supportive side afterwards."
On the moving sight of the Queen sitting by herself he added: "That's what the Queen does, she leads by example. Amazing to see, but I didn't really want to see it.
"The way that the funeral was planned and run was exceptional and for Zara it was seeing his carriage ponies and the gloves and the sugar cube box and all that lined up.
"If he was looking down, being in the middle of the pandemic when it was a bit more lowkey, he would've been more happy with that even though the rest of us would've liked more of a celebration but that's the sort of man that he was."
The England world cup rugby winner has been speaking out this week on the impact his father's Parkinson's diagnosis has had on him.
Yesterday he joined forces with the Duchess of Gloucester for a video conversation to mark World Parkinson’s Day.
The video call was held on April 7 but palace chiefs withheld it because of the duke’s death on April 9.
Today he revealed his son's middle name, Philip, is both a nod to Zara's grandfather and his dad.
'IT WAS TOUGH'
Mike told the BBC: "Loss is always going to be difficult. I thought the funeral was beautifully done.
"But, at the same time, we had to see the Queen make a stand in terms of showing what the world was at the moment.
"To sit on her own and be as brave as she was, I thought just summed her up as a lady. She was amazing.
"Then the funeral finished and it was sort of 'get in your cars and go home'.
"That's what was allowed and what the rules state. So is what happened. Yes, it was tough."
PHILIP'S FAREWELL
Prince Philip died on April 9 at Windsor Castle, with the Queen said to be by his side.
In keeping with his character over the last few months, the Duke got his dying wish of a small “no-fuss” funeral, largely due to ongoing Covid restrictions.
The service on April 17 began with a ceremonial procession, setting off from the state entrance at 2.45pm with the Prince of Wales and members of Royal Family following on foot behind Philip's coffin.
A national minute's silence took place at 3pm before the 50-minute service honouring Philip's 70-plus years of duty to the Queen and country began.
All 30 mourners were carefully spaced out in St George's Chapel, with the Queen and Prince Charles heading up the group.
The poignant ceremony ended with his body being taken to lie in the Royal Vault within St George’s chapel, where he will wait to be reunited with his beloved Queen.
Kate Middleton acted as a peacemaker between Prince Harry and William as they shared a private chat while walking away from Philip's emotional funeral.
The tender reunion between the brothers was the first time they have seen each other face-to-face in more than a year after Harry quit the UK.
A royal source said: “It looked like a conciliatory move by William to wait for Harry and allow him to catch up and chat to him and Kate. That could be a significant moment."
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