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Royal Family goes back to work amid mourning period for Prince Philip

Watch: Duke of Cambridge Condemns European Super League

Prince William, Prince Charles and the Queen have been carrying out royal duties despite being in mourning for Prince Philip, as they note his commitment to duty.

On Monday evening, Prince William released a statement condemning plans for a European Super League, standing alongside fans who have been shocked and concerned by the reports.

He said: "Now, more than ever, we must protect the entire football community – from the top level to the grassroots – and the values of competition and fairness at its core.

"I share the concerns of fans about the proposed Super League and the damage it risks causing to the game we love."

The statement was shared on Twitter and marked with his initial - W - a technique which he and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge have used increasingly over the last year.

William, who is president of the FA and a keen football fan, is not the only royal who has kept up some of his work as they mourn the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Although officially in royal mourning until 22 April, the Queen carried out two engagements before her husband's funeral - to mark the retirement of one of her senior members of staff and then to welcome his replacement.

WINDSOR, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin, covered with His Royal Highness’s Personal Standard is seen on the purpose built Land Rover, followed by Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Earl of Snowdon David Armstrong-Jones and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England.   Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He served in the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He married the then Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until his death on April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His funeral takes place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests invited due to Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Members of the Royal Family attended the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral on 17 April. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Read more: How the Royal Family have been supporting the Queen since Prince Philip retired

The Queen, who turns 95 on Wednesday, met Earl Peel on 13 April, four days after her husband had died, so that he could "deliver up" his "Wand and Insignia of Office as Lord Chamberlain and the Badge of Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order".

Lord Chamberlain is one of the highest ranking positions in the royal household and Earl Peel was replaced last week by Baron Andrew Parker, a former MI5 spy manager.

The next day she met Baron Parker as he formally began in his new role.

Prince Charles too has continued with some of his work, holding a video call on 15 April with the leaders of Botswana, Eswatini, the Gambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, all African Commonwealth nations.

The heir to the throne is set to take on the head of the Commonwealth role soon.

It's Princess Anne, the Queen and the duke's only daughter, who was first to carry out an engagement in person.

The hard-working royal, who frequently tops the list of most engagements carried out annually, went to the Isle of Wight to visit members of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, reacts during her visit to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, southern England on April 14, 2021. - The funeral of Britain's Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will take place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17. (Photo by Ben Birchall / POOL / AFP) (Photo by BEN BIRCHALL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Princess Anne went out on an engagement soon after her father's death. (Ben Birchall/AFP)

It's understood Anne and the Queen felt that the duke would have wanted her to continue with the engagement.

On 19 April, she carried out a virtual engagement with a link to her father. In her role as Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, she attended the Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony online.

Her father was the Duke of Edinburgh and had a lifelong tie to Scotland.

Prince William noted in his tribute to his grandfather, they may make a swift return to duties, as "he would want us to get on with the job".

With senior royals making calls and even continuing with visits, it may be that honouring his memory involves returning to work as soon as possible.

However there is some evidence the Queen will delegate some of the work where she can.

On 19 April, she asked Alistair Harrison, Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, to speak to Jaime Marchan Romero as he stood down from his role as Ambassador from the Republic of Ecuador.

Usually those are calls or meetings she would hold herself.

Watch: Prince Charles and Camilla look at tributes to Prince Philip

Royal experts agree that the Queen will never step down because of the pledge she made when she was 21 - that her whole life "be it long or short" would be in service.

But there are some suggestions that there may be more changes on the way without Prince Philip around, despite the fact he retired in the summer of 2017.

Robert Jobson, royal author, said on the Heir Pod podcast: "The Prince of Wales will step up, in a way he’s already been doing that for the past five years, but now he truly is the patriarch of the family because the Duke of Edinburgh is dead."

Experts have also noted the growing role of the Duchess of Cambridge, who will be Queen Consort when Prince William accedes.

Phil Dampier told the MailOnline: "She has picked up many of the Queen's qualities of tolerance and pragmatism, not overreacting to situations but trying to decide what is best in the long run.

"Kate realises that the Queen needs her and William more than ever and she will do all she can to support her."

He added: "With the Queen now 95, Charles, Camilla and Anne in their seventies, a lot is resting on William and Kate."