Queen carries photo of her and Prince Philip as newlyweds and his pocket square for comfort during funeral
The Queen kept her husband Prince Philip close to her heart during his funeral service on April 17, as she carried special mementos from their life together inside her handbag.
A royal family insider revealed that the Queen wished to carry one of Philip's trademark white handkerchiefs. This was an enduring feature of the Duke of Edinburgh's classic exemplary style. Made by his Savile Row tailors Kent & Haste, the pocket squares with its crisp, folded squares, were inserted into the breast pockets of Philip's perfectly cut suits. To pay tribute to their long marriage, she is additionally said to have carried with her a little photo of both of them together, thought to have been taken in Malta.
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The island was a profoundly special spot for both the Queen and Philip. As newlywed love birds, they lived in Villa Guardamangia in the capital Valletta, somewhere between 1949 and 1951, at a time when the Prince was positioned there as a naval officer with HMS Magpie, reported the Daily Mail on Saturday.
The Queen later said it was probably the best time of her life as it was the one time she had the option to live 'normally'. The couple returned to Malta regularly. They also celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary there in 2007.
As is the Queen's custom, her purse was by British brand Launer, which has held a royal warrant since 1968. She apparently owns around 200 of their bags, in various styles and shades to coordinate with her outfits. They have also long been utilized to hold valuable articles purportedly including an assortment of good luck charms presented to her by her children and grandchildren.
During the Duke's Covid-19-secure Windsor Castle memorial service, the Queen left a handwritten letter for Philip and kept it close to a wreath of white lilies, roses and freesia, all of which were selected by her. Photos from the ceremony on April 17 afternoon show a glimpse of the note, which appears to be written on official card from Buckingham Palace. The palace, however, has not yet affirmed the content of the note, which seems to have been Her Majesty's parting gift to her husband of 73 years.
She wiped her tears and bowed her head in respect and adoration while accompanying her better half to his final resting place beneath the chapel. Their oldest child Prince Charles cried as he followed the coffin, with other devastated royals behind him.
