Friends, family, Royals and 600 domestic staff mourn together at Chatsworth House funeral for 'Debo', the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire and last of the Mitford sisters
By
Steph Cockroft for MailOnline
Published: 21:34 AEST, 2 October 2014 | Updated: 00:41 AEST, 3 October 2014
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are among the hundreds of mourners who gathered this afternoon for the funeral of the last of the famous Mitford sisters, The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire.
The cortege departed from Chatsworth House - the family seat of the Devonshires and the place to which she devoted her life - just before midday today, before snaking its way through the spectacular landscape.
In a fitting tribute, more than 600 members of staff from the stately home - dressed in traditional livery - lined the mile-long route from Chatsworth to St Peter's Church in Edensor, Derbyshire, where the service was held.
The royal mourners walked behind the hearse, just after the Dowager's son, the current Duke of Devonshire, and other close family members, as it weaved slowly through the rolling estate.
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Close friend Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are among the mourners who gathered to pay tribute to the Dowager at St Peter's Church in Edensor, Derbyshire, this afternoon
The cortege set off from Chatsworth, the place to which the Dowager dedicated her life. The house, farmyard, stables and restaurants were closed to the public today
Fitting: In a fitting tribute, some 600 staff from the stately home dressed in traditional livery as they prepared to line the route to the funeral service
Staff were joined by hundreds of members of the public who also lined the drive leading to Chatsworth House. The Dowager died on Wednesday last week, aged 94
The cortege snaked through the grounds of Chatsworth and travelled the mile-long route through the park to the church, where hundreds of members of the public gathered on the village green to watch the funeral on two big screens
After her death was announced, Prince Charles paid tribute to his close friend, saying: 'My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, whom both of us adored and admired greatly'
Andrew Parker Bowles, pictured left with his former wife the Duchess of Cornwall - who is pictured left and right - was also at the funeral to pay his respects
The current Duke of Devonshire, Duke 'Stoker' Peregrine, 70, one of the Dowager's three surviving children, pictured at the service
The Prince, pictured with the Duchess of Cornwall and Canon Dave Perkins, followed Debo's son, Stoker, 70, the current Duke, in scattering earth on the coffin
Prince Charles - pictured here with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of Devnoshire - has been friends with the Dowager for many years
The 30-minute service, led by Canon Dave Perkins, began with the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy and also included Elvis Presley's How Great Thou Art - a fitting tribute to the Dowager's love of the singer
The Dowager's wicker coffin was taken away from the church by six pallbearers, who included the head gamekeeper at the estate
The Dowager Duchess was laid to rest next to her husband Andrew Cavendish, as the brass band played New York, New York
Their grave stands next to that of Kathleen Kennedy, the sister of President John F Kennedy, who was married to the 10th Duke's eldest son
Members of the public gathered on the village green outside the church to watch the service, which was broadcast onto two large screens
Hundreds - if not thousands - of members of the public descended on the small village in Derbyshire to play a part in the Dowager's funeral
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