Royal confidant! Queen Elizabeth II was surrounded by her family and one special friend as she mourned the death of her husband, Prince Philip, on Saturday, April 17.
While the queen, 94, sat alone during her late husband’s funeral service, her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey was by her side driving to St George’s Chapel.
Lady Susan, 81, was spotted sitting solemnly beside Her Majesty as the pair rode from Windsor Castle to the memorial before the monarch met up with her four children — Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — in addition to her eight grandchildren and most of their spouses.
Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, watched the funeral from California as she was not given doctor’s clearance to fly amid the end of her second pregnancy. Harry, 36, however, was seen walking with his brother, Prince William, and William’s wife, Duchess Kate, following the service, marking his first time being in the U.K. since his royal step back in early 2020 and his explosive tell-all interview with Meghan, 39, in March.
The family was reunited one week after Philip died on April 9 at the age of 99. Buckingham Palace announced his passing with a statement.
“It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the family’s statement read at the time. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”
Over the last week, the royals celebrated the Duke of Edinburgh’s memory by sharing never-before-seen photos of his life, including a sweet photo of the royal patriarch with the queen in Scotland from 2003.
“Her Majesty and the Royal Family are grateful for all the messages of condolence from around the world and have been touched to see and hear so many people sharing fond memories of The Duke, in celebration of his life,” the caption read.
The royal family’s official Instagram account also posted a portrait from 2016, alongside a quote the monarch said in a speech during the pair’s 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.
“He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know,” the quote read.
The queen mourned her beloved husband of 73 years on Saturday with only 30 close family members amid the coronavirus pandemic restrictions and guidelines. The royal matriarch, who also shared 10 great-grandchildren with the former naval cadet, placed a handwritten note on top of Philip’s casket before saying her final goodbye.
“I love you,” the letter, which was written on the queen’s stationery, read. The note, as captured in photos and video at the service, also had “Lilibet,” a nickname the monarch was given when she was a child, written on it. Philip used the moniker as a term of endearment in his letters to his wife throughout their seven-decade marriage.
Scroll down to learn more about one of the queen’s oldest friends.