Queen Elizabeth's Personal Stylist Reveals How The Monarch Really Acted After Prince Philip's Funeral
Royals may live a life more luxurious than us commoners, but that doesn't mean they're shielded from the pain of loss and death. One year ago, Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99, leaving a widowed and heartbroken queen. Though Queen Elizabeth is known for her steadfast and stoic demeanor, she undoubtedly experienced immense grief in the months following the loss of her husband.
However, the queen appeared to keep her sadness controlled and concealed during Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. The service was televised, showing Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family gathering to mourn their loss. The queen, dressed in all black, appeared neutral, not letting a single tear drop while in front of the cameras (via USA Today). The monarch's personal stylist, who worked with Queen Elizabeth on the day of the memorial service, shared what she was actually like behind the scenes.
Queen Elizabeth spoke no words after Prince Philip's funeral
On the day of Prince Philip's funeral, few were given permission to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions (per ABC News). According to Hello!, one of only a handful of people to work closely with Queen Elizabeth was Angela Kelly, the queen's personal stylist and dressmaker. Kelly recently updated her book "The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe," adding a chapter detailing the day of the funeral. She remembered her interaction with the queen that day, writing, "I helped her off with her coat and hat and no words were spoken. The Queen then walked to her sitting room, closed the door behind her, and she was alone with her own thoughts."
Though Queen Elizabeth remained composed, Kelly notes that everyone in the room felt a sense of empathy for her. Those closest to the queen likely know her reputation for staying calm, even in the face of tragedy.
In the months following her husband's passing, Queen Elizabeth carried on with her duties, keeping her grief private. An insider told People, "She understands that she has a job to do, and [Philip] would have wanted her to crack on." Crack on she has, though the queen did recently take a moment out of her busy schedule to update the royal family's Instagram account: to honor the anniversary of Prince Philip's death, she posted a poem alongside a moving montage of the prince's life in photos.
Queen Elizabeth attended a second memorial service for her late husband
Queen Elizabeth attended another memorial service for Prince Philip in March, roughly a year after his death (via ABC News Australia). The first service in honor of the fallen prince had a limited member of attendees due to COVID-19 protocols. When the number of cases died down, and vaccines were readily available, the royal family was able to have a bigger service to honor Philip in 2022.
According to royal reporters who spoke to the outlet, all eyes were yet again on the mourning queen, who clearly wanted to spend these heartbreaking moments out of the spotlight. She was concerned about another photo op, much like the one of her sitting alone at the first funeral, but this time the capture of her mobility issues, as she likely arrived using a wheelchair following her recent health struggles.
The photographs that surfaced from the memorial service showed the queen using a walking stick and being escorted by her disgraced son, Prince Andrew, through the church (via Town and Country). While she was hoping to keep a low profile at the second service for her late husband, her escort of choice got royal fans talking for all of the wrong reasons, but some found sympathy in what she needed to make the heartbreaking day easier on her.
The queen wore a special color to the second service
Prior to Prince Philip's second memorial service, it was unclear if Queen Elizabeth would be able to attend. According to CNN, it was the royal's first public appearance in over five months after she struggled with a string of health issues including a COVID-19 diagnosis.
However, she was able to attend the second service as well, and instead of sporting the traditional black mourning gear, Queen Elizabeth and her family paid tribute to the late prince by wearing military green (via Vanity Fair). The color was chosen as it was his official shade. His staff wore the color and it was also the shade of his vehicle.
The more upbeat color scheme seemed to showcase that the service was a celebration rather than upsetting. The queen appeared in brighter spirits following the memorial. It's not clear how she handled this moment compared to the first funeral, or if she spent any quiet moments alone this time around.