Politics
Queen takes new puppies for a walk at Frogmore where Prince Harry is staying night before Philip’s funeral
THE QUEEN took her new puppies for a walk at Frogmore where Prince Harry is staying the night before Prince Philip’s funeral.
Her Majesty, 94, was seen today for the first time since the duke’s death last Friday driving a green Jaguar out of Windsor Castle.
Read our Prince Philip funeral live blog for the latest updates
The Queen can be seen driving out of Windsor Castle today[/caption]
It is the first time she has been seen since Philip died[/caption]
The royal appeared to be wearing a bonnet and sunglasses as she snaked out of the grounds where tomorrow’s funeral will be held.
A guard could be seen standing to attention as she headed to Frogmore Gardens to walk to her beloved pooches.
On Monday Prince Harry’s pal Omid Scoobie announced that he was staying at Frogmore Cottage – just a short walk from where the Queen was spotted earlier today.
Frogmore Gardens is home to the burial grounds of the Queen Mother.
It is also the place where Her Majesty will be buried and when that does happen, Prince Philip’s coffin will be moved there so the two can be buried together.
However, it seemed as though the Queen’s focus today was with her two puppies, a corgi and a dorgi.
The two pups, named Muick and Fergus, arrived while Philip was ill in hospital and helped cheer Her Majesty up.
The Queen has held two official engagements since Philip’s death last Friday aged 99.
But this is the first time she has been seen in person since the tragedy.
She is preparing to bury her beloved husband of 73 years in a Covid-secure funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor tomorrow.
The car leaves Windsor Castle today[/caption]
Her Majesty will bury her husband tomorrow[/caption]
The official seating plan will be released on Saturday so it is not yet sure whether she will have someone from her HMS Bubble comforting her.
The Palace have confirmed Her Majesty will be joined by a lady-in-waiting as she is driven to the service in a Bentley.
But it is understood she will sit alone in the chapel – with the aide not included on the guest list.
This is despite the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting all becoming a part of HMS Bubble during lockdown as she shielded at Windsor Castle.
She will pause to gaze on her husband’s coffin as it is lowered to its final resting place in a poignant last goodbye.
An insider said she is “bearing up well” ahead of the service, adding: “Final preparations going on today and she is in control.”
But Philip’s funeral arrangements have been overshadowed by petty arguments about what dress should be worn by senior royals.
The Queen has also decided to separate Prince William and Harry during the procession as rumours continue to swirl over their rift.
But royal expert Jennie Bond has slammed the drama and says the Queen should be left well out of it.
She told Sky News: “You have to feel sorry for the queen managing the sensibilities and the sensitives of her family, not only over whether the boys should walk side-by-side, but also who should wear uniform.
“Andrew wanting to wear Admiral uniform to which he’s not entitled, and Harry who would be embarrassed by not being able to a military uniform.
“She’s had to think of all things, when honestly the poor lady nearly 95 and just widowed, should not have to think about these things in my opinion.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he hoped the nation would offer their prayers and condolences to the Queen during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, rather than speculate on her wellbeing.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “We really have to avoid judging from anything external.
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“She is the Queen. She will behave with the extraordinary dignity and extraordinary courage that she always does.
“And at the same time she is saying farewell to someone to whom she was married for 73 years.
“I think that must be a very, very profound thing in anybody’s life and I hope the whole nation, if they believe in that, they pray for her, and if they don’t, they sympathise in their hearts, offer their condolences to her and they hope for her to find strength in what must be an anguished moment.”
