Queen's visit from Eugenie and August discussed by Myers

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The Queen will celebrate her 95th birthday on Wednesday, just days after the death of her husband Philip. The couple were together for a remarkable 73 years, and are said to have only become closer over the last 12 months. They chose to spend lockdown together in their favourite residence, Windsor Castle, and social distancing measures meant the Queen was occupied by far fewer royal duties.

For the first time in years, they had the chance to spend quality time together by making sure they always had dinner at the same time and embarking on daily walks.

Philip died at the age of 99, with the Queen by his side, on April 9.

As royal watchers wonder how the grieving monarch will ring in her birthday, the sovereign is likely to be remembering the poignant gesture her husband always carried out for her special day.

Biographer Ingrid Seward claimed that although the couple tried to keep special occasions low-key, the Duke of Edinburgh had a special tradition for the Queen’s birthday.

Just before the Queen’s 94th, Ms Seward told Sky News: “Prince Philip always brings her a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and I presume that someone will definitely do that for him today.

“I think she likes white flowers and there’s always some lily of the valley — she loves flowers.”

Speaking last year, she also speculated that the monarch would not mind having a low key birthday.

She said: “I don’t think the Queen will mind too much because she once said there are so many birthdays and so many anniversaries that we as a family are only really inclined to celebrate every 10 years.

“She’ll probably celebrate with her immediate staff because of course she’s not able to be around anyone else.”

Philip was the only royal thought to be in her lockdown bubble, so it is not clear who the monarch will try to see outdoors to celebrate her birthday.

A source told the Daily Mirror that the royal women had arranged a rota over the next week to keep the monarch company.

They said: “The Queen will not be alone.

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“She will have others who care about her deeply and want to be there to support her in her most pressing hour.

“In typical fashion the Queen has insisted she is coping and despite the suggestion she had prepared herself for this day to day to come, everyone is well aware there is nothing like the experience when it comes.”

It remains to be seen whether her grandson, Prince Harry, will remain in the UK for the monarch’s birthday, now that his main home is in the US.

He is thought to be trying to patch up his strained relationships with his brother Prince William and Prince Charles while he is back on British soil.

A source told The Sun: “If all goes well, he could stay for the Queen’s birthday.”

Sophie Wessex has planned several visits to see the Queen over the next week, with her children, 17-year-old Lady Louise Windsor and 13-year-old James, Viscount Severn.

The Cambridges are said to have scheduled some video calls with the sovereign, while Princess Anne is expected to visit from her home in Gloucestershire.

Prince Charles is also likely to make a trip to see his mother as she continues grieving over her birthday.

The monarch’s official birthday always falls on the second Saturday of June, where the Royal Family gather to attend Trooping the Colour, in line with Palace tradition.

She typically celebrates her actual birthday in private in April, and is expected to take a more subdued approach to this year’s event.

People magazine even claimed the Palace and the Royal Family will not be sharing any celebratory shots with the public, as they usually do, because the Queen asked them to carry out two weeks of mourning.

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