The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were treated to a moving three cheers for the Duke of Edinburgh today as they visited an air cadet centre.
The couple visited 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps, where Prince Philip was Honorary Air Commodore-in-Chief for 63 years before passing it down to Kate in 2015, who is now Commandant-in-Chief.
During the visit Kate tried her hand at a flight simulator – a Grob Tutor used by the RAF for elementary flying training – while William held her handbag.
During the visit Kate tried her hand at a flight simulator – a Grob Tutor used by the RAF for elementary flying training – while William held her handbag
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps, where Prince Philip was Honorary Air Commodore-in-Chief for 63 years before passing it down to Kate in 2015, who is now Commandant-in-Chief
It came as the Queen said she was ‘deeply touched’ by the ‘support and kindness’ shown by the public following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as she marked her 95th birthday without her ‘strength and stay’ of 73 years.
In her first comments since Prince Philip’s death, the monarch thanked well-wishers across the globe for the tributes paid to her husband which have ‘deeply touched’ the royal family.
The Queen said she and her family were in a ‘period of great sadness’ but were comforted by words of praise for Philip, who died peacefully at Windsor aged 99.
Her Majesty said in a statement: ‘I have, on the occasion of my 95th birthday today, received many messages of good wishes, which I very much appreciate.
‘While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.
‘My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days.
‘We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life.’
Earlier today, Buckingham Palace shared a photo of the steadfast monarch at a royal engagement with a message wishing her happy birthday. Instead of sharing their own posts, Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Instagram accounts re-posted the radiant photo of Her Majesty.
Celebrations will be a subdued this year with no traditional gun salutes while the Queen observes a two-week mourning period following the death of her husband the Duke of Edinburgh at the age of 99.
The Queen is expected to be visited by family today but grandson Prince Harry will not be among them. He returned home to California from London yesterday, just 24 hours before his grandmother’s birthday and two days after his grandfather’s funeral.
In her first comments since Prince Philip’s death, the monarch thanked well-wishers across the globe for the tributes paid to her husband which have ‘deeply touched’ the royal family
The photo, released on the official Royal Family Instagram account this morning, shows the Queen smiling in a burgundy ensemble at a royal engagement
Prince Philip and the Queen pictured together in a photo released in 2007 to mark their Diamond Wedding Anniversary
Prime Minister Boris Johnson today lead tributes to the Queen, saying: ‘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.’
The Duke of Sussex, 36, is understood to have flown into Los Angeles on an American Airlines flight from London Heathrow shortly after 1.30pm local time yesterday.
His chauffeur-driven MPV was seen leaving the private terminal at LAX, reserved for celebrities and the super-rich, and was spotted again arriving at the Sussexes’ Montecito mansion at around 4pm.
After Saturday’s emotional funeral William and Harry took ‘baby steps’ towards healing their relationship after they walked back to Windsor Castle from St George’s Chapel together after being pushed together by peacemaker Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Later there was a face-to-face meeting within the grounds of the castle between the brothers and their father Prince Charles, but, in an unprecedented development that lays bare the depth of their rift, Charles and William preferred to meet with Harry together so that nobody’s words could be misconstrued afterwards, MailOnline’s Dan Wootton revealed yesterday.
The Queen will spend today quietly and is expected to go for a walk with her dogs, who have been a huge comfort in the days since Prince Philip’s death.
In keeping with the pared back celebrations, the palace scrapped plans to release a new photo of the Queen to mark her birthday, as is customary, and instead release one from a previous royal engagement.
The Queen has worn the outfit on a number of previous occasions including a visit to the MI5 headquarters last year and to the Commonwealth Day Service in 2018.
Harry and William pictured together at Philip’s funeral. They were later seen briefly chatting with each other
The simple caption read: ‘Today is The Queen’s 95th birthday.
‘The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
‘This year Her Majesty remains at Windsor Castle, during a period of Royal Mourning following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh.’
Hours later the account posted a message thanking royal fans for their birthday messages and condolences following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
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.
‘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.’
Prince Harry’s chauffeur-driven MPV was seen leaving the private terminal at LAX, reserved for celebrities and the super-rich, and was spotted again arriving at the Sussexes’ Montecito mansion at around 4pm
Harry’s car was seen arriving at his home in Montecito at around 4 pm to return to wife Meghan and son Archie
The royal, 36, is understood to have flown into LAX on an American Airlines flight that arrived in Los Angeles shortly after 1.30pm local time
Typically the Queen’s birthday is marked with a 21-gun salute 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.
This year it will not take place, marking the second year in a row the monarch has eschewed 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.
Trooping the Colour, which is usually held in June to mark the Queen’s ‘official’ birthday, will also not go ahead for the second year due to the Covid pandemic.
Instead, courtiers are considering an ‘alternative parade’ in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle, similar to an event dubbed ‘mini Trooping’ that was held last summer.
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born at 2.40am on April 21 1926.
She was the first child of the then-Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was born by caesarean section at 17 Bruton Street, the Mayfair home of her mother’s parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.
The Queen never expected to be a monarch when she was born, but the abdication of her uncle Edward VIII in 1936 put her father on the throne, and changed her destiny.
She wed Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947, and became Queen at the age of 25 when George VI died from lung cancer in 1952.
Elizabeth II, who has been monarch for more than 68 years, is Head of State, the Armed Forces and the Commonwealth.
She will celebrate her platinum jubilee of 70 years on the throne in 2022.
Harry had been widely reported to have been planning to stay for the Queen’s birthday, although sources said he was ‘conflicted’ about the decision and wanted to get home to Meghan.
Celebrations will be a subdued affair this year with no traditional gun salutes, as the Queen remains in mourning for her husband of 73 years, the Duke of Edinburgh, who she has called her ‘strength and stay’. Pictured, the couple in 2003
The Queen has worn today’s outfit on a number of occasions, including a 2020 visit to the MI5 headquarters (pictured) and the 2018 Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey
Prince Andrew’s gift for the Queen: Royal ‘was behind present of two new corgi puppies to help monarch cope when Philip was ill in hospital’
Prince Andrew gifted his mother two puppies to help her cope when her late husband was in hospital, reports suggest today.
Her Majesty was given the dogs in February to keep her company in Windsor while the Duke of Edinburgh was recovering from heart surgery.
The Queen named her new puppies Fergus and Muick after her war hero uncle and her favourite beauty spot in Balmoral. These two pooches were posted on the Pets4Home site and match the description and how much the Queen reportedly paid for one
It has now emerged that the pups were ‘bought by Prince Andrew’ in a bid to cheer his 94-year-old mother up.
This comes as royal experts predict the Duke of York is ‘trying to rehabilitate himself’ and get back into the royal fold – despite his brother Charles and Prince William pushing plans for a slimmed-down monarchy.
The Queen has turned to her dogs for comfort in the aftermath of her husband’s death.
The Duke of Sussex had flown into the UK on an American Airlines flight just over a week ago and spent most of his British trip in quarantine at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
Father-of-one Harry will now begin a second 10-day quarantine – a requirement for international travelers journeying to the US, although it is not mandatory unlike in the UK.
CDC guidelines recommend travelers get a Covid-19 test prior to departure and self-isolate for 10 days after they return.
California also has its own travel advisory, with visitors and residents required to fill in a form that includes their contact details on arrival at LAX.
The LA guidelines also say travelers should quarantine, although that advice includes exemptions for those traveling for work or for urgent family matters.
Harry’s brief visit to the UK for the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh was his first trip back to Britain in a year.
Pregnant Meghan, who is expecting a baby girl in the summer, was told not to travel with him but did send a handwritten note and a wreath.
The trip also marked the first time he has seen his family since making explosive allegations about royal racism during an interview with Oprah last month and claiming his father and brother are ‘trapped in the system’.
Sources told the Mail on Sunday Harry received a frosty reception when he appeared at Philip’s funeral on Saturday and was largely ignored by senior royals, among them Princess Anne and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
His presence also caused problems for courtiers – although the Duke of Edinburgh had wanted military uniform to be worn for his funeral, Harry is not entitled to wear it having given up his military roles as part of the Megxit deal.
Instead, the Queen decided to spare Harry’s blushes by having the royal party wear morning suits to the funeral.
He reportedly texted with his father and brother beforehand but didn’t see them in person until shortly before the service began.
Although William and Harry’s interactions initially looked frosty, they were pictured chatting together after the service as they made their way back to the castle.
Prince Charles and his two sons are then reported to have spent three hours ‘clearing the air’ immediately after the funeral.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson today lead tributes to the Queen, writing a message on Twitter
But Page Six and The Telegraph both reported that Harry and Charles did not have a one-on-one due to fears of a misunderstanding.
The pair were said to be unlikely to meet again before the Duke of Sussex headed back to the US, reported The Times.
Sources told the outlets that both Charles and William wanted each other present for any meeting for fear that a ‘twisted version of events’ would leak out from Harry’s camp.
Harry is due to return to the UK again at the end of July for the unveiling of a memorial to his mother Princess Diana.
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
