On Saturday and Sunday the people could say goodbye to Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who died suddenly on Monday 13 March 2017, in the chapel of Berleburg Castle in Bad Berleburg, Germany. The coffin was covered with the flag of the family Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and surrounded by wreaths, among others from staff and some local organisations. In front of the coffin was a heart-shaped bouquet with red and pink flowers, among others roses and tulips. In the back was a photo of the deceased.
In the morning of 21 March, at 9am, his coffin was taken from the chapel by six pallbearers and carried across the castle courtyard to a vehicle. The closest relatives of the deceased were present at the short ceremony. The coffin was then taken to the Protestant Town Church (Evangelische Stadtkirche) of Bad Berleburg, only a few hundreds of metres away. Inside the church were also tens of wreaths from family members and befriended royal, princely and countal houses. Among them from his wife (the read/pink heart), children and grandchildren, the royal families of Denmark, Greece, Norway, The Netherlands and Sweden.
The church service was held at 2pm in the afternoon and was followed by a reception at the castle. The ashes of Prince Richard will be buried in private at the family cemetery at Bad Berleburg at a later date. I hope I will have some pictures later this week, but can’t promise anything.