Elizabeth will spend the day at Wood Farm Cottage, the estate’s personal sanctuary where she spent her first Christmas since Philip died in April 2021. She said that Philip loved the cottage partly because it was close to the ocean, during a February Sandringham event.
Emily Nash (the royal editor at HELLO!), said, “I think that the queen’s approach towards birthdays very much embodies the queen’s ‘keep calm, and carry on’ attitude.” magazine. “She doesn’t like fuss.”
This is the queen’s 70th year on the throne, and this birthday falls during her platinum jubilee years. Although Thursday’s celebrations will be quiet, there will be public celebrations from June 2-5. Four days of jubilee celebrations have been planned to coincide with the monarch’s official birthday.
This day is yet another in a turbulent period for the monarch who has tried to secure the future monarchy amid signs her age and family controversy. The queen has been unable to make public appearances since a bout with COVID-19 in January. Prince Andrew’s multimillion pound settlement with a woman who accused of sexual exploitation caused unwelcome headlines for the royal family.
The queen was treated to a surprise birthday treat by her grandson, Prince Harry, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. It was the first time they had visited each other since their departure from the frontline royal duties in 2020. In an interview, Harry said that his grandmother was in “great form.” However, he also stated that he wanted her to be “protected” by the right people.
The longest serving monarch of Britain, Elizabeth, has spent most of the past two decades at Windsor Castle west of London. This is where she hid during the pandemic.
It has been just over a year since Philip, her husband of more than 70-years, died.
The funeral was scaled back at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel. Coronavirus restrictions at the time restricted the service to 30 mourners, and the monarch was forced to sit alone — a stark reminder of her future.
The pandemic was on the decline and restrictions being eased, so the queen ignored her recent health problems to go to Westminster Abbey’s service of thanksgiving. She entered the abbey with Andrew, her second child, on the arm. Andrew’s legal settlement was supported by her choice to be her escort.
However, the appearance in person was rare. In her final years of her reign, the Queen increasingly relies on Prince Charles for public engagements. Most recently, she offered alms to seniors at the Royal Maundy service at St. George’s Chapel.
Charles assumed the task of dispensing specially minted coins for retirees who were being honored for their service to the church or the community.
This year, 96 people received the coins. One for each year in the life of the queen.
Nash stated that “She has a lot of things coming up in the next couple months, so it makes complete sense that she enjoys Sandringham’s birthday quietly, privately.” She will undoubtedly have plenty of time to think back on the happy times she shared with Prince Philip throughout the years. This is a person who is focused on the future even though she is 96.
