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Royal family vow: We will be at your side..
» Family plan visits as monarch comes to terms with loss » Harry will miss her 95th birthday to fly back to Meg
THE Queen may have cut a solitary figure at Philip’s funeral service, but her family vowed she will not be left alone as she comes to terms with life without him.
Royals have agreed a rota to visit the monarch while she continues to grieve the loss of her beloved companion of 73 years, even though she has insisted she is “coping”.
They will take walks in Windsor with her and her two new corgi puppies, as she prepares for her 95th birthday on Wednesday.
But Prince Harry will not be among them because he is expected to fly back to the US in the next 24 hours.
One source said: “The Queen will not be alone.
“She will have others who care about her deeply and want to be there to support her in her most pressing hour. In typical fashion the Queen has insisted she is coping and despite the suggestion she had prepared herself for this day to come, everyone is well aware there is nothing like the experience when it comes.”
The Queen’s daughter Princess Anne, daughters-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex, supported by the Duchess of Cambridge, have come together to form the plan for regular visits.
The monarch was seen out yesterday, a day after Philip’s funeral, as she left her Windsor home behind the wheel of a green Jaguar.
She will continue to live at the castle, where she spent the majority of the last 13 months with her husband, who died on April 9 aged 99.
Millions around the world watched as she had to sit alone in St George’s Chapel as she said her final goodbye to him on Saturday due to the Covid restrictions affecting funerals.
After her bubble partner had departed, the Queen chose to sit unaccompanied. Only her son Prince Andrew was nearby, at a two metre distance from her.
Her only comfort was a treasured photo of her and Philip as newlyweds, that she had placed in her handbag alongside one of his handkerchiefs.
Prince Charles is expected to visit his mother this week, taking the 90-minute drive from his country home Highgrove in Gloucestershire.
Princess Anne will also pop in from her home at Gatcombe Park, while the Countess of Wessex, who has for years enjoyed a fabulous relationship with the Queen, has planned several visits in the coming days with her children Louise, 17, and James, 13. The Duchess of Cambridge, who at the weekend returned to London with husband Prince William and their three children, has already scheduled video calls with the Queen and her greatgrandchildren to celebrate her birthday. But Harry, 36, will miss the event as he returns to California to be with heavily pregnant wife Meghan, expected to give birth in early June,
and their son Archie, one. The
Queen and the rest of the royals do not have any planned engagements until at least Thursday when the official royal mourning period will end.
Senior royals have agreed to work together on special projects to unite the family and the country after a year of disruption and tragedy.
The Countess of Wessex, who has been the Queen’s most frequent visitor the pandemic, has at least two projects in the pipeline with her.
Sophie, 56, said to be “like a daughter” to the monarch, is keen to help the family out in a more central role after Harry and Meghan quit their royal roles to live in the US last year and be financially independent.
A source said: “Everyone is very focused that as the country emerges from the coronavirus crisis it is a great opportunity to work together and help the Queen and get back to business.”
Although the Queen will stay at Windsor Castle for the foreseeable future, insiders have insisted it will not be long term.
The Queen has made no secret of the fact she is “most comfortable” at the 950-year-old castle.
Despite this, she intends to split her time between her Berkshire base and London – and to continue with a diary of royal engagements in and outside the capital, when a renovation project is completed at Buckingham Palace.
But lockdown has delayed the £369million restoration work at Buckthroughout ingham Palace, which could take years to complete.
The family are understood to have discussed the symbolism of the Duke’s moving music choices throughout his funeral, especially Action Stations sounded by a Royal Marines bugler.
The naval tradition served as a poignant reminder to his family, plagued by problems in recent times, to “go into battle stations”.
SENIOR royals have urged warring princes William and Harry to “seize the opportunity” and work towards a resolution for the good of the monarchy and their families.
The Duke of Sussex returned to the fold for the first time in more than a year on Saturday, as the Royal Family united for Prince Philip’s funeral.
But his stay was short lived as he is expected to jet back to the US in the next 24 hours to be with his heavily pregnant wife Meghan and one-year-old son Archie.
The Prince of Wales, who was seen shedding a tear as he followed his father’s coffin, will not see his youngest son in person again before he goes but it is understood he will speak to him on the phone.
Sources said he had been buoyed by scenes of his two boys talking moments after the family laid the Duke of Edinburgh to rest at St George’s Chapel.
It was the first time Harry, 36, who now lives in California, had come face to face with his family a year after quitting The Firm to go it alone.
Royal sources suggested last night that Harry would see his grandmother before he returns to America, but is unsure when he will return.
He and Meghan last month took part in a two hour tell-all interview with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, in which they accused a senior royal of questioning how “dark” their children would be while ignoring Meghan’s mental health problems. One palace insider said: “It is certainly the wish of the Queen and the Prince of Wales that the brothers seize the opportunity of their brief reunion. Despite very obvious tension still remaining, the feeling very much is if they do not seek a resolution it could further drive a wedge between them and at heart do more damage to the monarchy.”
In the interview, seen by a global audience of 80 million, Meghan said future queen Kate made her cry at a bridesmaid’s fitting before her 2018 wedding to Harry, despite widespread reports of the opposite occurring. The Duchess of Cambridge was left “deeply hurt” by the accusations, which sources suggested she “does not recognise”. But she appeared to put her feelings aside to play peacemaker on Saturday as she literally gave her husband and his brother space to connect once more.
As the Queen departed the chapel following the service, Harry was seen sidling up to his sister in law before engaging her in conversation.
Just ahead, Prince William spoke to the Dean of Windsor who presided over the ceremony, before turning back to grab Kate’s attention. The royals were due to be collected by a waiting fleet of Rolls-royces, but decided to enjoy the glorious weather and walk the short journey back to Windsor Castle.
As a gap emerged between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Harry seized his moment to walk beside them, ending up in the middle as they carried on up the hill. Kate then delicately stepped away to speak to the Countess of Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise, leaving the brothers alone. Royal sources insist the conversation was “not a deliberate act”, but had happened “organically”.
The Oprah interview was said to have left William “incandescent” with rage yet he and Harry looked relaxed in each other’s company during the walk to Windsor Castle.
It is understood they later spent “some time together” as they reached the State Apartments, where the Queen had been staying with Philip, out of sight of the television cameras which had broadcast the funeral.
After arriving in Britain a week before the service, Harry reportedly experienced “a great deal of frostiness” from many relatives. He was forced to self-isolate at Frogmore Cottage, the house given to him and Meghan as a wedding present by the Queen. Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie apparently did not acknowledge Harry before or during the service. One source told a Sunday newspaper: “There is a deep sense of protection towards the Queen and resentment towards Harry.
“Ironically the only one who has expressed any sympathy towards him is Prince Andrew. He knows from Sarah Ferguson – and now first-hand – how it feels to be the outsider, which Harry very much is. There is little sympathy for him .”
It is the wish of the Queen and Charles that they seize the chance PALACE INSIDER ON THE RIFT BETWEEN PRINCES