Grieving Queen turns 95 alone just days after husband Philip's funeral

Grieving Queen turns 95 alone just days after husband Philip's funeral – with Princess Anne and the Countess of Wessex among the 'rota' of royals set to pay her a morale-boosting visit

• Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 95th birthday today at Windsor Castle
• There will be no public celebration as the Royal Family are in mourning following the death of Prince Philip on April 9
• Members of the family have reportedly agreed a 'rota' of visitors to keep the Queen company in the coming days

By CHARLOTTE MITCHELL FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:18 AEST, 21 April 2021 | UPDATED: 17:02 AEST, 21 April 2021

 

The Queen turns 95 today - just days after the funeral of her beloved husband Prince Philip - as she spends her first birthday without him in more than seven decades.

The world's oldest reigning monarch will spend the day at Windsor Castle with her small bubble of staff due to the pandemic.

Cruel coronavirus restrictions meant the Queen's farewell to her 'strength and stay' Philip was a royal funeral like no other.

 

The Queen turns 95 today - just days after the funeral of her beloved husband Prince Philip - as she spends her first birthday without him in more than seven decades.

The world's oldest reigning monarch will spend the day at Windsor Castle with her small bubble of staff due to the pandemic.

Cruel coronavirus restrictions meant the Queen's farewell to her 'strength and stay' Philip was a royal funeral like no other.

 

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Her Majesty was forced to sit alone on Saturday at the service for her husband of 73 years.

And today is set to bring more sadness for the monarch as she prepares to celebrate her birthday without her 'strength and stay' loyally at her side.

In a bid to keep her majesty company, the family have agreed a rota to visit the Queen over the coming days to ensure that she is not left alone.

Princess Anne and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, are reported to be among the Queen's first visitors.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today lead tributes to the Queen, writing on Twitter: 'I would like to send my warm wishes to Her Majesty The Queen on her 95th birthday.

'I have always had the highest admiration for Her Majesty and her service to this country and the Commonwealth.

'I am proud to serve as her Prime Minister.'

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Pictured: The Queen and Prince Philip attend a Thanksgiving Service at St Paul's Cathedral held in honour of the queen's 80th birthday in 2006

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The Queen sits in the Regency Room at Buckingham Palace in London, on April 20, 2006, to look at at some of the cards she received for her 80th birthday

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Poignant images of Her Majesty bowing her head and watching the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin from behind a mask in St George's Chapel moved millions in Britain and around the world

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The world's oldest reigning monarch will spend the day at Windsor Castle. Unlike her official birthday, which is celebrated on the second Saturday in June, Wednesday's anniversary will pass without public celebration

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The Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests attending celebrations for the Queen's official 90th birthday on The Mall on June 12, 2016.

 

Today marks the Queen's actual birthday. Her official birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday in June with the Trooping the Colour parade.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson today lead tributes to the Queen, writing a message on Twitter

It comes as the royals mark two weeks of mourning following Philip's death on April 9 at the age of 99.

Because of the mourning period, there will be no gun salutes to celebrate the Queen's birthday - marking the second year in a row without the tradition.

The Queen last year decided the celebratory display of military firepower would not be 'appropriate' as the UK was in lockdown with thousands dead from the coronavirus outbreak.

Usually a 21-gun salute is fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from either Hyde Park or Green Park, followed by a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.

On this day last year, the Royal Family marked the celebration by releasing poignant private home videos of the Queen playing with her younger sister Margaret.

The touching archive films from the Royal Collection Trust revealed candid memories of the two sisters growing up.

They provide a rare insight into family life for the Queen as a young Princess Elizabeth.

The clips showed Elizabeth playing with a pram as a toddler, on a seesaw and playing in a garden and dancing on a yacht with Margaret.

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8th July 1941: Princess Elizabeth is pictured amongst a syringa bush in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire at the age of 15

 

The Queen has said she was 'coping' after the funeral of her husband on Saturday and was spotted a day later driving out of Windsor Castle in a green Jaguar.

Reports have suggested that family members have agreed a rota to visit the Queen over the coming days to make sure the Queen has company on the day - with Princess Anne and Sophie Wessex among the first.

Both women form part of a group of loyal, discreet and 'utterly trustworthy' women of the Queen's inner circle who are offering crucial support as she faces life without her beloved Philip.

Also in this core group of confidantes are the Queen's childhood friend Lady Pamela Hicks and Royal dresser Angela Kelly.

'Sophie is like another daughter to the Queen, they are that close,' said a Royal source.

'She is trusted and relied on like few others.'

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Queen Elizabeth will spend her birthday at Windsor Castle. Pictured: Queen Elizabeth at Windsor on the occasion of her 50th birthday in 1976 [File photo]

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The Queen, who was born on April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street, central London, grew up not expecting to become queen. Her father, George VI, only took the crown when his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Pictured: The newly-born Princess Elizabeth with her mother and father

 

The pair are said to speak at least once a day and enjoy regular Saturday ‘movie afternoons’ when they watch old films together.

Today marks the Queen's actual birthday. Her official birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday in June with the Trooping the Colour parade.

The June tradition was started by King George II in 1748, who felt it would be too cold to have the outdoor ceremony on his actual birthday in November.

 

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The Queen ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25, and surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain's longest reigning monarch in September 2015. Pictured: Princess Elizabeth, as she was then, with a pony in 1939

She will also be visited by her son Andrew and granddaughter Eugenie in the coming days, the Mirror reported.

Camilla is also expected to visit the Queen this week.

'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,' a source told The Mirror

'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, who was born on April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street, central London, grew up not expecting to become queen.

Her father, George VI, only took the crown when his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

She ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25, and surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain's longest reigning monarch in September 2015.

Read more:

• How Queen will mark 95th birthday while continuing to grieve as guests revealed - Mirror Online

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Grieving Queen turns 95 alone just days after husband Philip's funeral