Following the sad news of the death of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, the following information may be of assistance to Livery Companies in this period of national mourning.
- Mourning has commenced and will run until the end of 17th April. Court mourning is longer but will not be an issue for companies other than in the unlikely event that a Royal engagement had been anticipated before the end of April, in which case contact should be made with the Royal Household concerned on the revision of arrangements.
- The funeral will take place on at 15.00 on Saturday 17th April within the grounds of Windsor Castle. Flags should be full masted at 0800 on 18th April.
- There will be a national minute’s silence at 15.00 on Saturday 17th April.
- The public are asked not to lay flowers or tributes but instead donate to charity. Some companies will have direct associations with His late Royal Highness’s patronages but a list can be found at the Royal website The Royal Family. Livery Companies may wish to make a donation in memory of His Royal Highness.
- Books of Condolence are online only. Companies may wish to direct members who wish to record their condolences in this way to the Royal Household book. It is available here The Royal Family.
- Online communication channels may also choose to reflect the death of The Duke of Edinburgh and participate in the period of national mourning. For example, a Livery Company might wish to modify the homepage of its site to feature a visual indication of mourning, for example the use of black edging or black banners, though this is very much in the discretion of each individual company.
- There is no expectation that businesses should close during the mourning period unless they wish to. This is a decision for individual organisations.
The decision about whether events planned for this week should continue is at the discretion of organisers. It is suggested that Livery Companies consider postponing any purely social events that are planned and that events with a business focus or of a constitutional or procedural nature (such as the installation of a livery company master) are adjusted in their style and tone if they are not postponed. Events should not take place on the day of the Funeral.
Some Livery Companies have close associations with members of the Royal Family, including with his late Royal Highness, and will doubtless wish to express their condolences to the Royal Household concerned.
City Remembrancer, 12 April 2021
Skip to content