Princess Anne expressed her heartache over Prince Philip's funeral. Three years on, the Royal Family still carries poignant memories of bidding their goodbyes.
The Duke of Edinburgh was the adored husband of Queen Elizabeth II and was laid to rest in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle three years ago today. He had passed away at the age of 99.
Due to the pandemic, only 30 close family members including the their four children and eight grandchildren were allowed to attend the solemn ceremony. Added to this, social distancing norms meant the Queen had to sit alone, during that emotional moment as she bid farewell to her partner of 74 long years.
A heartbreaking picture of the Queen mourning solo went viral across global media, sparking widespread sympathy for the royal's unyielding strength even in her personal loss, reports the Mirror.
Princess Anne spoke about that day in an interview with CBC, revealing candidly: "In some ways, I'm glad we didn't see that moment. And when you see the photograph, it's much worse somehow. And you saw more of that than we did, [since we were] accompanying the coffin."
Prince Andrew also offered a rare insight into the Queen's private grief, remarking: "The Queen, as you would expect, is an incredibly stoic person. She described it as having left a huge void in her life but we, the family, the ones that are close, are rallying round to make sure that we're there to support her."
Reflecting on his father's temperament and guidance, Prince Andrew said: "He was so calm. If you had a problem, he would think about it. He was always somebody you could go to and he would always listen so it's a great loss."
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Acknowledging the Duke of Edinburgh's wider impact, he continued: "We've lost almost the grandfather of the nation. And I feel very sorry and supportive of my mother who's feeling it probably more than everybody else."
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Further expressing the family's gratitude for public support, he added: "I know there is a huge amount of support, not just for her (the Queen) but for everybody as we go through this enormous change."
In a heartfelt tribute from the then-Prince Charles, he conveyed the family's deep sense of loss: "As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously," and acknowledged the widespread affection for the Duke: "He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also I think, share our loss and our sorrow."
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