More On:
queen elizabeth II
Kate Middleton wears the Queen’s and Diana’s jewelry in birthday photos
Queen Elizabeth delivers emotional Christmas speech honoring Prince Philip
Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas brooch pays tribute to Prince Philip
How Queen Elizabeth will spend first Christmas since Prince Philip’s death
Queen Elizabeth II gave a nod to her late husband, Prince Philip, Saturday by using his cane as she hosted a reception celebrating the 70th anniversary of her reign.
The monarch, 95, was photographed using the Duke of Edinburgh’s walking stick at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England, on the eve of her Accession Day. The pre-Platinum Jubilee outing marked her first public appearance this year.
“I recognized the stick instantly, as it was always kept in a pot by the front door,” royal biographer Gyles Brandreth told the Telegraph Monday. “It was the duke’s stick, and it is very touching that the Queen has started using it.”
The Queen was seen clutching onto the cane as she enjoyed the evening’s festivities, including a cake-cutting ceremony and receiving gifts and letters from her subjects.
Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99, last publicly used the cane in 2013 while recovering from abdominal surgery.
The Queen, for her part, started using a cane to assist with her walking in October 2021 during an event at Westminster Abbey, which sparked concerns for her health.
But a source told Page Six at the time that Her Royal Highness was only using the cane “for her comfort.”
The Queen, who is the longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch in the history of Great Britain, fueled health concerns later that month when she was hospitalized for a night, causing her to cancel a trip to Ireland. Palace officials said at the time that she was in “good spirits,” and she was back to her royal duties by the end of October.
The UK government has long had a 10-day plan in place for when the Queen dies, including naming the prime minister as the official who will announce the news.
The Queen’s 73-year-old son, Prince Charles, is the heir apparent to the British throne. In a surprise statement Saturday night, the Prince of Wales’ mother gave the OK for his second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, to receive the title of “Queen Consort” rather than the originally planned “Princess Consort” when he takes the throne.
Share this article:
Source: Read Full Article
