Penelope, who had been a close
companion of both Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, was pictured
at Westminster Abbey in an all-black ensemble including a black tailored jacket
dress and elegant hat.
The close friend of the royals
was one of 2,000 guests who were invited to the state funeral which began at 11
am on Monday 19 September. Known informally as Penny, the Countess is the
only daughter of butcher-turned-businessman Reginald Eastwood and she became
close to the royal family through her relationship with Norton Knatchbull, 3rd
Earl of Mountbatten.
Penelope was an immediate hit
with the royals, but particularly impressed the Queen and Philip when she was
first introduced by Norton in 1975.
Despite an age difference of more than 30 years, a shared love of the outdoors allowed their friendship to flourish, which only strengthened after Philip taught the Countess to drive carriages in 1994.
While Penelope was seen in
public riding alongside Philip, her friendship with the Queen grew behind
closed doors. Penelope also joined the Queen and the royal family at the Duke
of Edinburgh’s funeral in April 2021.
 |
Penelope and Prince Philip bonded over their love of outdoor sports
The service for the Queen’s
state funeral, which featured a reading from the prime minister and the
Archbishop of Canterbury, began with a procession of the Queen’s coffin which
was followed by her immediate family. King Charles and Camilla, the Queen
Consort, walked directly behind the coffin.
Joining them were Princess
Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, and Prince Edward and
Sophie Wessex. Behind the Queen’s children was the Prince and Princess of Wales
and their two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, followed
by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
