QUEEN ELIZABETH RETURNS TO ROYAL DUTIES
Queen Elizabeth II has returned to royal duties, four days after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, as preparations stepped up on Wednesday for his ceremonial funeral this weekend.
The 94-year-old British monarch attended a retirement ceremony for a senior royal official on Tuesday, according to the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements.
The royal family is observing two weeks of mourning for Philip, who died Friday at the age of 99. The palace has said family members will “undertake engagements appropriate to the circumstances” during the mourning period.
The family also released previously unseen photos as they shared memories of Philip. One photo shows the queen and Philip surrounded by seven of their great-grandchildren at a family gathering in 2018. The picture, which shows the queen holding a baby Prince Louis in her lap, is a rare image of the monarch holding one of her greatgrandchildren.
The queen on Tuesday attended a ceremony at Windsor Castle for Lord Chamberlain Earl Peel, who has retired as the royal household’s most senior official. He oversaw arrangements for the funeral of Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, until handing over to his successor days before the duke’s death.
Princess Anne, the queen and Philip’s daughter, made a public appearance on Wednesday, visiting young sailors at the Royal Yacht Squadron sailing club on the Isle of Wight off England’s south coast. Prince Philip was a Royal Navy veteran and keen sailor.
His funeral will take place Saturday at Windsor Castle, with attendance limited to 30 because of coronavirus restrictions.
Although it is a scaleddown service because of the pandemic, hundreds of servicemen and women from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force will take part in the funeral procession. Military personnel rehearsed for the event Wednesday at Army Training Centre Pirbright, near London.