Prince Philip: Sophie Wessex discusses Duke's final moments

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Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are both understood to support the idea of erecting a monument in his honour near Buckingham Palace. A Downing Street insider said the Prime Minister would be on board with the idea while a Labour source said “a statue would seem a fitting tribute for his years of service”.

It would be a fitting tribute to mark a lifetime of public service and duty

Sir Charles Walker

The cost of a new statue would probably run into millions of pounds but a public appeal for donations could bypass the need to use taxpayer funds.

The Mall, which runs from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace, already has statues of the Queen Mother and her husband King George VI.

The Queen Mother’s statue, erected in 2009, cost £2m and was paid for by the production of a one-off five-pound coin that commemorated the Queen’s 80th birthday.

Sir Charles Walker, vice chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, told the Sunday Telegraph a statue for the Duke of Edinburgh would be “a fitting tribute to mark a lifetime of public service and duty”.

Buckingham Palace announced that Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle on Friday morning, two months before his 100th birthday.

The Queen has described his death as “having left a huge void in her life”.

Prince Andrew revealed the personal feelings of his mother after attending a church service where members of the royal family said prayers for Philip as the nation remembered him.

Andrew described the death of his father as resonating with many people, saying: “We’ve lost almost the grandfather of the nation.”

READ MORE Royal Family LIVE: Philip used final weeks to prepare Charles

His brother the Earl of Wessex said Philip’s death was a “dreadful shock” and the family was still “trying to come to terms with that”.

The Countess of Wessex candidly described the circumstances of Philip’s death as “very peaceful” when she chatted to a member of the congregation, saying it was if “somebody took him by the hand and off he went”.

Later, the Princess Royal paid her own tribute, describing her father as “my teacher, my supporter and my critic”.

Andrew said members of the family have been rallying round to support the Queen as she deals with the death of her partner of more than 70 years.

The Duke of York was joined at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their daughter Lady Louise Windsor for a Sunday service.

Andrew said: “The Queen, as you would expect, is an incredibly stoic person.

“She described it as having left a huge void in her life but we, the family, the ones that are close, are rallying round to make sure that we’re there to support her.”

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Sophie and Edward appeared visibly moved as they spoke about the Queen, with their daughter by their side, after the service.

The Queen is “thinking of others before herself”, the countess said, and Edward added: “As always. But bearing up, and again it’s just that wave of affection for him and just those lovely stories.

“They just mean so much and the tributes have been just fantastic. That’s really, really important and we really do appreciate it.”

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