Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS
» Family finds solace in tributes
AS she marked her 95th birthday with low-key celebrations at Windsor Castle, the Queen sent a message of thanks for the “support and kindness” shown to her family after the death of Prince Philip. The Queen told how she had been comforted by the many tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh, who died, aged 99, with his wife by his side at Windsor on April 9. The Queen’s rare personal message said: “I have, on the occasion of my 95th birthday today, received many messages of good wishes, which I very much appreciate. While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.
“My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days.
“We have been deeply touched and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life.” A royal source commented on the statement and said: “It is of course what we have come to expect from Her Majesty, duty above all else and thinking of others despite everything, despite experiencing a devastating loss.
“She is coping amazingly well and has been comforted not only by the love and support of her close family but by the many thousands of people who had so many wonderful things to share about her husband’s life and legacy.” The
Queen was seen driving a Jaguar estate car through the grounds at Windsor Castle on her way to walk her dogs yesterday afternoon.
She is understood to have met a small group of family members, with her daughter Princess Anne and daughter-in-law Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, among the first to rally round.
Her grandson Prince Harry was not among the visitors yesterday after he had returned home to California to be with his heavily pregnant wife Meghan and their son Archie after attending his grandfather’s funeral on Sunday.
Sources said the Duke of Sussex did have the opportunity to meet the Queen privately before leaving on an 11-hour American Airlines flight from London Heathrow on Tuesday.
A chauffeur-driven SUV with tinted windows pictured leaving a private terminal at Los Angeles LAX airport was seen arriving at the Sussexes’ mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara, two hours later. The driver and front passenger of the black £55,000 Cadillac Escalade, were wearing face masks as the vehicle left the airport.
It was Harry’s first visit to the UK since he and Meghan quit as senior royals a year ago. Sources suggested Harry was given a “markedly frosty reception” by his family during his visit.
After wishing her mother happy birthday, Princess Anne made her first public appearance since her father’s funeral to honour hundreds of Gloucestershire people who died of Covid-19.
The Princess Royal visited Cheltenham General Hospital, where hundreds of wire dandelions have been laid, each bearing a
tribute to a loved one who has died.
Princess Anne, who laid her own dandelion, also went to see a memorial garden as she visited three hospitals in her home county.
The garden was created by the Commemorative Dandelion Appeal at Gloucester Royal to help frontline staff unwind.
The Queen’s grandson Prince William and wife Kate wore black as they visited air cadets in East London. They had been given permission from the Queen to go ahead with the engagement during the official period of mourning for Prince Philip, which ends today.
Earlier yesterday, Buckingham Palace wished the Queen a happy birthday and shared a photo of her on a visit to MI5 HQ in February last year.
PM Boris Johnson tweeted his birthday greeting to the Queen, writing: “I am proud to serve as her Prime Minister.”