Royal mourning in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh will end today for the monarchy and their households.
Since the death of the Queen’s consort on April 9, the royal family has only carried out official duties where appropriate and all have worn black as a mark of respect when in public.
Now they will be able to carry out their normal official roles in full after observing the traditional two-week period of mourning.
Although the monarch and her family may be back at work full-time, the Queen has said they are experiencing a period of “great sadness” but tributes from around the world have been a great comfort.
In a message released on Wednesday to mark her 95th birthday, she said: “While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.”
Despite grieving the Queen has continued to carry out a number of in-person engagements – as have other members of her family – since the death of Philip who was aged 99.
The monarch formally welcomed her new Lord Chamberlain Baron Parker to his post ahead of the duke’s funeral during a ceremony she hosted.
On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined air cadets based in London in honouring Philip’s memory, during their first joint public event since his death.
The Princess Royal also opened a garden of commemoration and remembrance at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
