Duke of Edinburgh: Scotland remembers Prince Philip

The Duke of Edinburgh has been remembered in a series of events across Scotland as his funeral took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

A gun salute at Edinburgh Castle marked the beginning and end of the national pause for reflection at 15:00.

At Prince Philip's former school - Gordonstoun in Moray - pupils fell silent for three minutes in tribute.

They also laid a wreath in the sea off Hopeman Harbour where he learned to sail as a boy.

The duke died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99. He was married to the Queen for 73 years.

Prince Philip's long association with Scotland began with his schooldays in Moray and continued with family trips to Balmoral in Aberdeenshire every summer.

A photograph shared by the Queen ahead of his funeral shows the couple smiling at the top of Coyles of Muick - a beauty spot close to the Scottish estate - in 2003.

A series of remembrance events took place across Scotland to mark the day of the duke's funeral.

Young sailors on board Gordonstoun school's 80ft training boat, Ocean Spirit of Moray, laid a wreath in a tribute that recognised his lifelong connection to the sea.

On the shore, a lone student piper played whilst displaying the Duke of Edinburgh's coat of arms on a banner presented to the Gordonstoun pipe band by the Queen in 2019.

In Aberdeen, a beach sand artist created a large sand picture in tribute to the duke while veterans gathered in remembrance.

Elsewhere, the Royal Standard was raised at the peak of Ben Nevis by members of the Outward Bound Trust to mark the duke's support of the charity.

The trust also raised flags at Snowdon in Wales, and Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

In Edinburgh Nicola Sturgeon observed the minute's silence at 15:00 on the steps of the first minister's official residence, Bute House.

After the funeral Ms Sturgeon said: "The many tributes paid to the Duke of Edinburgh in recent days have shown the depth of his contribution to public life over more than 70 years as well as his longstanding ties to Scotland.

"Many have reflected on his distinguished wartime record, his commitment to countless charities and organisations, and his love and support for The Queen throughout their marriage.

"Today, as The Queen and the Royal Family mourn the death of a loved one, we take this opportunity to celebrate and honour an extraordinary life."

Seven Scottish Cup fourth-round ties had been moved to avoid a clash with the funeral, including the Rangers v Celtic match which will now be held on Sunday.

In horse racing, the Scottish Grand National at Ayr has also been delayed by 24 hours from its traditional Saturday slot.

Meanwhile new pictures of the duke sailing a boat during his teenage years at Gordonstoun have been released.

Philip was captured on camera in 1937 - when he would have been around 15 - at the helm of one of Gordonstoun's boats, a two-mast, 14-ton boat named Diligent.

In another shot, he grins at the cameraman while helping with the washing up.

Philip's time at the prestigious boarding school under the eye of his eccentric headmaster Dr Kurt Hahn, inspired him to start his Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

The images were taken by the great-uncle of a former pupil, who then contacted the school.

On Friday, Gordonstoun pupils took part in an early-morning run by way of tribute to Philip.

Morning runs were compulsory at the school until the 1990s and more than 100 students and staff, in household groups, ran a 3.5km route from Gordonstoun House to the nearby coastguard watchtower which Philip reopened in 1955.

The watchtower replaced a wooden hut which the duke, a member of the "Watchers" - a precursor to the Coastguard - helped build in 1935.

The Duke of Edinburgh's affinity with the north east of Scotland has also been highlighted by the minister of Crathie Kirk, the church used by the royal family when at Balmoral Castle.

Rev Kenneth MacKenzie is the minister of the parish of Braemar and Crathie and domestic chaplain to the Queen, who visits the church for Sunday services with members of her family, when staying at the castle.

He said: "Over the last few days, many different tribes and nations have, with some justification, laid claim to the duke, and while I seek no argument with those who claim that he was 'thoroughly European', 'archetypically British', 'adopted by the Commonwealth', 'Baptised Orthodox', 'Confirmed Anglican' or whatever - let me try to set the record straight.

"I think HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was one of us."

Rev McKenzie added he was a "man of faith with an active and enquiring mind" and said he had a keen interest in the church a national and institutional level, including the decisions and discussions of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The minister recalled: "He was never slow to question how this 'so-called faith' was being lived out in any given parish and community - and speaking for myself, I loved him for it."