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Buckingham Palace has decided not to send a member of the royal family to Sir Edmund Hillary's funeral in what will be seen as a snub to one of the country's greatest legends.
A Palace spokesman told the Herald the Queen would be represented by the Governor General
Anand Satyanand at the funeral on Tuesday.
Full details of the funeral were announced by Prime Minister Helen Clark today.
She denied the move would be seen as a snub and it was considered "appropriate" that the Queen should be represented at the funeral.
"The Governor General is the Queen's personal representative," the spokeswoman said.
The Queen is instead offering to hold a memorial service at Windsor Castle in April - a rare move.
Sir Edmund Hillary was one of only 24 Knights of the Garter appointed by the Queen and his success as the first man to step on the summit of Mt Everest was proclaimed on the morning of Her Majesty's coronation in 1953.
The Everest expedition was a British one, and Hillary's success was claimed as a huge triumph for Britain.
Helen Clark said the funeral details had been agreed after consultation between government officials, Anglican clergy and Sir Ed's widow Lady Hillary and other family members.
The Prime Minister said: "The arrangements for the lying in state and for the screening of the funeral service will enable many New Zealanders to be part of, or follow closely, the farewell to Sir Edmund."
The funeral will be broadcast live on TVNZ and radio New Zealand and on large screens in Auckland's Domain and the Viaduct Basin. Live coverage will also be on nzherald.co.nz
Special shuttle buses will operate between Britomart and the Domain.
State funeral details
MONDAY
10am - Sir Ed's casket arrives at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Parnell, Auckland. Welcome by Ngati Whatua.
11.30am - Public can file past Sir Ed's body lying in state.
TUESDAY
8.45am - Casket taken from Cathedral to St Mary's in Holy Trinity.
10am - Doors to St Mary's and Cathedral open.
11am - State funeral begins.
Readings by Governor-General and a family member.
Tributes by PM Helen Clark, Sir Ed's family, Norbu Tenzing Norgay, Jim Wilson and Rev Peter Beck
12.30pm - Funeral ends. Casket carried to forecourt of Cathedral.
Funeral cortege travels along Parnell Road into Maunsell Road to Auckland Domain past the Cenotaph, then via The Crescent to Domain Drive, through the Domain and via Park Road, Khyber Pass and Broadway into Remuera Road.
