Prince Philip funeral: Sir David Attenborough and Kylie Minogue lead tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh

As 30 people gathered in St George's Chapel to pay their final respects to the duke, celebrities paid tribute to the 'great legacy' he left behind

Members of the British royal family and military officials follow Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin during his funeral at Windsor Castle, England. Getty

Pallbearers carry Prince Philip's coffin into the chapel with only 30 guests in attendance because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions. AFP

People walking at Windsor Castle after Prince Philip's funeral on Saturday. AP

Queen Elizabeth II during the funeral of her husband. They married on 20 November 1947 and he served as Prince Consort until his death on April 9, months short of his 100th birthday. Getty

Members of the public take part in a two-minute silence outside Windsor Castle during the funeral of Prince Philip. Getty

Members of the Household Cavalry march ahead of the funeral service of Prince Philip in Windsor Castle. Getty

Coronavirus restrictions meant social distancing. Getty.

Prince Philip's coffin is carried into his funeral service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Getty

Queen Elizabeth watches as pallbearers carry the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh during his funeral at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. AP

Left to right: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; Viscount Severn; and Sophie, Countess of Wessex attend the funeral service of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh inside St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. AFP

Pallbearers carry the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh during his funeral, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Prince Philip died April 9 at the age of 99. AP

A gun salute at Edinburgh Castle. A single round was fired followed by a single round a minute later to begin and end a national minute's silence immediately before the funeral service of Britain's Prince Philip. Reuters

From second left: Peter Phillips; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attend the ceremonial funeral procession of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. AFP

Princess Beatrice of York and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend the funeral ceremony of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle. AFP

Princess Eugenie of York and her husband Jack Brooksbank attend the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. AFP

One week after Britain's Prince Philip died aged 99, his family paid their final respects to the Duke of Edinburgh in an intimate funeral at St George's Chapel on Saturday.

There were only 30 people inside the chapel, including Queen Elizabeth II, her four children and her eight grandchildren, because of coronavirus restrictions.

The service, which celebrated his naval past, his international heritage and seven decades of service, commenced after a national minute’s silence was held at 3pm local time.

On and off-air, British celebrities paid tribute to the duke, who had been married to the queen for 73 years.

Both the BBC and ITV covered the historic ceremony, allowing the British public to watch it from their homes.

During the BBC broadcast, noted presenter and natural historian Sir David Attenborough led the celebrity tributes, as he shared memories of working with the royal, praising him for getting involved with conservation efforts even when it "didn't mean much to many people".

"The World Wildlife Fund owed a huge amount to his presence," he said during the coverage. "When he spoke about conservation, he spoke about it with passion and knowledge."

Of the duke's character, Attenborough added: "He was an extraordinary combination of being formidable and friendly. You knew he was there. He had an amazing presence. It was an extraordinary balancing act between formality and informality."

Online, Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue led the tributes. She shared a photograph of herself with Prince Philip on Twitter, writing in the caption: "RIP HRH Prince Philip. What an honour it was to meet at Windsor Castle."

One Direction singer Liam Payne, meanwhile, honoured the duke with a watercolour portrait. On Instagram, he wrote, alongside an image of the painting: "Rest in peace HRH Prince Philip, finished this off whilst listening to your life, what a great legacy left behind."

Former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan commented on the images of Queen Elizabeth II sitting alone at the ceremony owing to social distancing measures.

"Has there ever been a more heart-breaking picture of the Queen?" Morgan wrote on Twitter. "The cruel separation and loneliness suffered by so many in this pandemic, now endured by the world’s most famous woman as she says goodbye to her husband of 73 years. Just devastating."

Morgan had previously taken to Twitter on the day of Prince Philip's death to pay tribute to a "truly great Briton who dedicated his life to selfless public duty and was an absolute rock of devoted support to Her Majesty, The Queen".

"A very sad day for our country," he added. "Thank you, Sir."

English television and radio presenter Fearne Cotton also shared a photo of the queen sitting alone.

"The shots on the BBC of Her Majesty the Queen alone are breaking my heart in two," Cotton wrote on Instagram. "A beautiful ceremony. A long, amazing life celebrated so perfectly."

Morgan's former colleague and Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, whose husband recently returned home after more than a year in hospital being treated for Covid-19, also shared a touching image of the queen.

"So alone – my heart breaks for her and so, so many others who have lost loved ones this year," she wrote. "Just shows whoever you are the pain of grief and the loneliness it brings."

Dame Darcey Bussell, a retired ballerina and former judge on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, told her Instagram followers that she would be backing the effort to get one million more young people doing their Duke of Edinburgh's Award, "to show the potential today's youth have".

"#DofELivingLegacy will help @DofEUK give one million more young people, from all circumstances and backgrounds, the opportunity to do their DofE over the next five years."

She left a link where people can donate to the Living Legacy Fund, a new fund that has been set up in the duke's memory.

Broadcaster Ruth Langsford also paid her respects to the queen, writing on Instagram: "My heart is breaking for her. RIP Prince Philip."

Singer and TV star Peter Andre added two posts to his Instagram feed, paying tribute to the duke and leaving a message for the queen, next to an image of her sat alone in the pews. "No matter how strong she has been her whole life. Truly heartbreaking."