The Queen of England today, paid a heartbreaking farewell to her beloved husband, Prince Philip in a poignant service honouring his life.
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Her Majesty, 95, appeared emotional as the Duke of Edinburgh was remembered following his death last April aged 99.
The monarch had walked arm-in-arm with her “favourite” son Prince Andrew as the thanksgiving service began at Westminster Abbey today.
Once Her Majesty reached the end of the aisle, she detached herself from Andrew’s elbow and confidently made the last few steps alone.
Buckingham Palace earlier confirmed the Queen would be attending to lead her family in honouring Philip.
She was pictured travelling from Windsor to London with Andrew in her car despite his recent sex case shame.
The pair arrived at Poets’ Yard entrance, which the Queen used in a departure from her normal route as it is a shorter walk.
The bells rang out across Westminster as senior royals, charity workers and foreign royals arrived to remember the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George and Princess Charlotte were among those in attendance.
It is the first time the children – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest – have attended a major public church service.
Touchingly, the Queen, Camilla and Princess Anne all wore dark green in a subtle nod to Philip, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green.
The monarch also wore a yellow gold, ruby and diamond scarab brooch, which was a personal gift from Philip in 1966.
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Fears had been growing Her Majesty, 95, would be forced to pull out of the event after she missed a string of recent engagements.
This was her first public engagement since February 5 after she faced a number of health scares including a battle with Covid.
It is also the first she has taken part in outside one of her homes for five and a half months since travelling to Cardiff.
But she was “actively involved” in planning the service, which featured elements Philip planned for his funeral that were banned due to Covid.
Royals from around the world – including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia – were also in attendance.
The only major royals missing were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who confirmed they were not flying in from the States to honour the Duke amid a row over their security.
Boris Johnson, who was joined by members from his cabinet, later praised the Queen saying: “Clearly it is welcome to see Her Majesty out today, continuing her incredible decades of service to the country.”
The service featured elements that Philip wanted at his funeral that had to be scrapped due to Covid.
This included a rousing chorus of Hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer the Duke requested for his final farewell.
The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band) also played as part of Philip’s longstanding relationship with the Armed Forces.
Philip was associated with over 700 charities and organisations and undertook 22,200 solo engagements.
The royal also stood by the Queen’s side on countless tours and engagements through 60 years of service as her consort.
He was remembered as a “remarkable man” who was committed to “a host of down-to-earth enterprises”.
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