The Queen has been seen smiling during the latest engagements because she "loathed lockdown", a royal expert has claimed.
The monarch started attending in-person events again as coronavirus restrictions began to ease in May.
During lockdown, she mainly held online meetings and audiences, welcoming guests to Buckingham Palace as she was connected via video call from Windsor Castle.
Last weekend, she was all smiles as she attended the Royal Windsor Horse show before meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Editor and royal expert Camilla Tominey said the Queen has always had a good sense of humour, but is particularly relieved to be out of lockdown and able to attend engagements in person.
The monarch lost her beloved husband only three months ago, but has been keeping busy after a short mourning period.
Ms Tominey said in this week's Telegraph newsletter: "While it may only be 11 weeks since her beloved husband was laid to rest at Windsor Castle, I’m not surprised to see so many pictures of our beaming Queen – not least as the lifting of Covid restrictions means that she, like the rest of us, is now able to return to some semblance of normality."
According to the editor, the monarch did not enjoy lockdown and is now happy to be back at work.
The expert added: "It is no secret that the Queen loathed lockdown, which stopped her carrying out what she has always viewed as the most essential part of her job: being seen to be believed."
Ms Tominey said Queen Elizabeth II was very happy at the weekend as she watched horses and ponies at the event in Windsor.
Last month, she also attended the G7 summit in Cornwall, where she met world leaders and also hosted a reception at the Eden Project.
According to the Daily Mail, the Queen and Prince Philip had struck a secret agreement, in case one of them passed away before the other.
The agreement said that "whoever was left should mourn, but not for too long, then enjoy what remained of their life."
At the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, the monarch was separated from her family under social distancing guidelines and a photo of her sitting alone broke the nation's hearts.
Mike Tindall, who is married to the Queen's granddaughter, Zara Tindall, later said the monarch was "amazing" throughout her darkest hour.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: "Having to see the Queen make a stand in terms of having to show what the world is at the moment and sit on her own and be as brave as she was, I thought, just summed up her up as a lady. She was amazing.
"Then the funeral finished and it was 'Get in your cars and go home', but that is what is allowed, that is what the rules state, so that is what happened.
"It was tough but I thought the actual funeral was done so well that I think he will be looking down and he would have actually been happier about the way it happened."
