Queen’s private prayers for her beloved husband at Windsor

THE QUEEN said private prayers for her beloved Duke of Edinburgh as she attended a Sunday mass in Windsor Castle yesterday.

The monarch, who is the head of the Church of England, has a deep Christian faith and will be drawing on her religious beliefs during her time of grief after the death of her husband of 73 years last week.

The Queen is understood not to have attended the worship in the private chapel, where the Duke’s coffin remains at rest, draped in his personal standard and adorned with a wreath.

The mass was also not in St George’s Chapel, which is currently closed and is where preparations are being made for Prince Philip’s funeral to take place on Saturday.

The Queen told of her “deep sorrow” as she announced the death of the Duke at the age of 99.

Buckingham Palace confirmed just after midday on Friday that Philip had passed away peacefully that morning, issuing a statement that spoke about the Royal Family joining with people across the globe “mourning his loss”.