Queen speaks to RAAF servicewoman about lockdown in April

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The Queen and Prince Philip were quickly relocated to the Berkshire residence as the coronavirus pandemic raged across the country. Like much of the vulnerable public, the royal couple was forced to isolate for safety due to their age and shelved all duties and activities with members of the Royal Family and aides excluded from the so-called HMS Bubble. Royal photographer Arthur Edwards suggested the lockdown left Her Majesty “comforting” the usually very “active” Prince Philip as he spent the last year of his life mostly in isolation.

Speaking to Channel 5’s 2021: The Queen’s Terrible Year, Mr Edwards said: “It must’ve been quite difficult for the pair of them, really.

“Although the Queen had her principal staff there, and her dresser, it was tough.

“For someone who has been incredibly busy, active all their life from a pretty young age for the Duke, it must have been terrible.

“He needed always to be busy, he couldn’t do the things that he loved – in the end, I think the Queen comforted him.”

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Biographer Hugo Vickers also suggested the lockdown likely proved to be the longest time the Queen and Prince Philip spent together in one place in decades due to their usually busy schedules being put on the back burner.

The royal commentator said: “I don’t think that the Queen and Prince Philip ever spent quite a long time completely together because they were both busy, they were both traveling in different directions, doing different things.

“So they weren’t really quite as together as they were at this period of time.”

Despite retiring from active royal duties in 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh continued to lead a rather active life from his home at Wood Farm in Sandringham.

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Prince Philip continued to take part in his favourite sport of carriage riding, a passion he shared with his youngest granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor.

Following his death in April, his carriage and his ponies passed on to the young royal.

Despite isolation, the Duke managed to celebrate his 73rd wedding anniversary with the Queen, an event marked by a heartwarming photo of the couple looking at a congratulatory card from great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Before his retirement, Prince Philip is estimated to have carried out over 22,000 solo engagements and have delivered more than 5,000 speech.

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The Duke of Edinburgh took pride in his commitment as a supporting actor to the Queen and Her Majesty herself praised him repeatedly for his “constant love and help.”

Prince Philip began his career as a naval officer and served as commander of HMS Magpie until the ill health of King George VI forced him and then-Princess Elizabeth to return to the UK to take on royal duties.

He then gave up his naval career when Her Majesty acceded the throne in 1952.

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