Sarah Campbell
Royal Correspondent

Shortly after the state trumpeters heralded her arrival - Her Majesty the Queen took her seat in the abbey.

She walked to her seat - assisted by Prince Andrew.

There had been concerns over whether she would be able to attend, due to recent health issues at the age of 95.

But there was never any doubt that she would have wanted to have been here to hear thanks being given for the life and work of her husband of 73 years.

The Queen has arrived at Westminster abbey for the service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip.

She is accompanied by the Duke of York, who travelled with her to central London from Windsor Castle.

The Queen entered the abbey through the west entrance as it was a much shorter route for her to walk.

Now that she is here, we are under way.

Image source, Press Association

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have arrived.

The abbey's bells rang as the heir to the throne walked in.

The Duke of Cambridge, his wife Catherine and two of their three children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are also there. And George smiles as he is welcomed by one of the clergy.

Image source, PA

Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, QC, says Prince Phillip's hand "crafted so much of that which made independence possible".

She said the Duke of Edinburgh was the one to suggest Marlborough House, the Queen's grandmother's home, as the home for the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Talking to BBC presenter Huw Edwards, Baroness Scotland says she would never forget Prince Phillip telling her: "This concept, this new construct of a Commonwealth, of free, liberated people coming together - is worth making sacrifices for."

She added: "He personally was willing to make a great deal of sacrifice if he was able to do just a little good.

"His love of the Commonwealth and his commitment to the minority and the diversity within it, was absolutely unbending. We owe him an extraordinary debt of gratitude."

The Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex have arrived with their two children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn.

It is an important day for the Earl of Wessex to honour his father, as he has taken over stewardship of the Duke of Edinburgh award.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is there today.

Downing Street had to apologise to the Queen last year about the gathering held on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral.

That funeral produced the moving image of the Queen sitting alone as she complied with Covid regulations.

And in another overlapping of these stories the first “partygate” fines are being issued on the day of Prince Philip’s memorial.

You can read about those political developments here.

Image source, Getty Images

Some senior members of the Royal Family are arriving at the abbey and being directed to their seats.

Princess Anne, the Duke of Edinburgh’s only daughter, has arrived with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.

Princess Anne said her father was her "teacher, supporter and critic" after the Duke of Edinburgh died in April last year.

She arrives just ahead of her nieces, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has arrived.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon is sitting in the seat behind him, while Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford is sitting a couple of seats across from her.

Northern Ireland's DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is sitting in the row behind Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford.

Lots of figures in the Duke of Edinburgh's life and work are at the abbey today and many have come to speak to us.

TV presenter and member of the House of Lords, Baroness Floella Benjamin, says her main memory was of “a man with a good heart”.

“He had an inquisitive mind and he wanted to know about people – he was like a walking encyclopaedia," she said.

She said Prince Philip was “such a generous man” and he sent her a telegram when she received her OBE and also a letter when she received her damehood.

"When people get to the see the programme today they will get to see what a great man he was and what a difference he made to this world."

Falklands veteran, Simon Weston CBE, says he found the Duke "incredibly funny, a very sincere man but very, very funny".

"When I got my OBE he sent me a telegram as well – those little things he didn’t have to do but he still did anyway," he said.

Weston said the Duke’s lasting legacy will be the Duke of Edinburgh’s award which encouraged "so many young people to test themselves to the limit".

Watch our live coverage by clicking the button at the top of the page.

The Duke of York is accompanying the Queen on her journey from Windsor Castle to central London.

Prince Andrew has a front row seat in Westminster Abbey, sitting close to his other siblings.

It's his first public appearance since the settlement of a civil sex assault case in the US.

On Andrew's left will be his brother the Earl of Wessex and Edward's family the Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

Across an aisle on his right will be the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince of Wales and the Queen.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte will also attend, with their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and be sat behind the Queen.

Sean Coughlan
BBC News, royal correspondent

Image source, Press Association

The Queen is expected to be at Westminster Abbey for the Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip.

The 95-year-old monarch has been struggling with mobility issues and there had been some nervous uncertainty about whether she would be able to attend the service.

But this is clearly a very personal as well as public event - and she has been determined to be at a service honouring her husband of 73 years.

Churches and church services are full of steps and getting up and down – and preparations will have been made to minimise walking, such as coming in by a side door.

Apart from appearances at her own residences or on video screens, this will be the biggest public event that the Queen will have been at since the autumn.

Guests have been queuing to get inside the Abbey, a mix of military uniforms, charity representatives and two coach loads of European royals.

Well-wishers are gathering outside, hoping to see some some of the senior royals, including Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, who will be here later.

Sarah Campbell
Royal Correspondent

The congregation is largely seated now.

Many people here in the abbey are in uniform - reflecting the Duke’s close links to the Armed Forces. Also here are representatives from many of the charities and organisations he supported throughout his life.

This is very much a family event. M

embers of the Duke’s wider family are taking their seats. Almost all the European royal families will be here also. Soon to be joined by members of the British Royal Family.

You can follow along when the service begins at 11:30 BST with the order of service that has been released here , externaland watch the ceremony in the player at the top of this page.

Members of the Duke of Edinburgh's family have been seated first, followed by politicians and European royalty.

The service will then open with a hymn from The Pilgrim's Progress and an opening address from the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster.

We’ll also hear from Ms Doyin Sonibare, who has a hat-trick of Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. She’ll talk about the impact the award has had on young people across the globe.

Image source, Getty Images

We’ll be hearing a lot of choral and band music today. It’s the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth playing as people arrive this morning.

Prince Philip was Captain General of the Royal Marines for more than six decades.

During the service, the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace will sing.

The congregation will sing Guide me, O thou great Redeemer. The hymn was part of the plans for His Royal Highness’ Funeral Service pre-Covid, at his request. But in line with government guidelines at the time, there was no congregational singing at his funeral in April 2021.

Image source, Getty Images

It’s the late Prince’s dedication to family, nation and Commonwealth that’s being honoured today, the Palace says.

In particular, to pay tribute to Prince Philip's contribution to public life and support for the more than 700 charitable organisations with which he was involved throughout his life.

That includes work on schemes like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme - which can help young people increase confidence and skills levels. Also being remembered are his conservation and environmental work and his support of the UK’s Armed Forces.

The service is happening almost a year after he died, partly because Covid restrictions meant his funeral service last year was a scaled-back affair - everyone will remember those pictures of the Queen sitting alone at that service.

Image source, Getty Images

It's believed the Queen, 95, will be there today, despite recent problems around her mobility and a positive Covid test at the end of February that moved her engagements online.

Senior members of the Royal Family will be at the abbey, alongside European royalty, politicians and people associated with the Duke's working life.

It’s the first public outing for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s second son, Prince Andrew, since he settled a civil sex assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre.

Also there will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's other three children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

But the family will not be joined by Prince Harry, one of the Queen and Prince Philip’s grandsons. He, his wife Meghan and their two children are not making the trip from California.

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey for the life of Prince Philip, who died in April last year, aged 99.

The Queen has been actively involved, the Palace says, in the planning of this service in memory of her husband and his contribution to public life.

We'll bring you updates as they happen, with the Royal Family due to arrive at the abbey in the next hour.