Soldier carrying gun at Prince Philip's funeral appears dazed as he falls over

A soldier at Prince Philip's funeral stumbled while standing with colleagues in the warm sunshine outside St George's Chapel.

Photos show the man, wearing a ceremonial uniform that includes gloves, falling backwards to the grass while clutching his rifle, and his cap falling off his head.

He appeared dazed as he dropped to the floor as royals entered the chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

To his right, a member of The Rifles held on to another soldier, who was looking down and upright, though not in the same position as his colleagues.

There was bright sunshine and a temperature approaching 14C as the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral began at 3pm on Saturday.

Photos show the soldier reaching for and putting his hat back on, and then attempting to get back on his feet after falling.

Philip once served as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles, a British Army infantry regiment, and the military had been rehearsing all week for their pivotal role in the duke’s funeral.

The Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the Army took part in the procession and carrying out other duties including the playing of The Last Post.

The Band of the Grenadier Guards, of which Philip was Colonel for 42 years, will lead the procession to the chapel.

The Rifles Guard of Honour, positioned in Horseshoe Cloister, gave a royal salute as the procession passed.

The coffin, transported in a specially-modified Land Rover that Philip helped to design, was flanked by pallbearers drawn from the duke’s special relationships – the Royal Marines, regiments, corps and air stations.

Philip’s children – the Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Duke of York and Earl of Wessex – walked behind his coffin, which was carried by a Land Rover Defender hearse he helped design.

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They were joined by the duke’s grandsons the Duke of Sussex, Duke of Cambridge and Peter Phillips, and Vice Admiral Tim Lawrence, the Princess Royal’s husband, and the Queen’s nephew the Earl of Snowdon.

A bearing party of Royal Marines carried the coffin up the steps and paused for a minute’s silence.

The coffin was draped with the duke's personal standard, and featured his Admiral of the Fleet naval cap and sword next to a wreath of white flowers chosen by the Queen with a handwritten card, edged in black, from his wife of 73 years.

Philip had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy and while he gave up active service in 1951, he remained closely connected to it and other military elements throughout his public life.

He had a close connection with the Navy for more than 80 years, having enrolled at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth aged 17, served at sea during the Second World War and later held numerous honorary ranks.

He served as Captain General of the Royal Marines for more than six decades

Philip died peacefully in his sleep on April 9, two months before his 100th birthday.

His death came just weeks after he was released from a London hospital - the final time he was seen in public - after undergoing heart surgery and treatment for an infection.

Philip was the guiding force behind the preparations for his funeral, which was pared back because of Covid restrictions, with guests reduced from around 800 to 30 and the public elements cancelled.

As the 50-minute service neared its end, The Last Post was sounded by buglers of the Royal Marines from the west end of the Nave.

Buglers of the Royal Marines also sounded Action Stations during the service at the duke’s request.

Philip's coffin was then lowered into the Royal Vault, but it will not be his final resting place.

When the Queen dies, will be transferred to the gothic church’s King George VI memorial chapel to lie alongside his devoted wife of 73 years.

The Duchess of Cornwall wore the Rifles Brooch, something she donned in July 2020 when Philip’s role as Colonel-in-Chief of the infantry regiment The Rifles was formally handed over to her.

The Queen, 94, wore a face mask and sat alone during the socially-distanced funeral, which was held with just 30 mourners due to England's coronavirus lockdown rules.