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Queen Elizabeth wrote one last note to the love of her life Prince Philip . The monarch gave her husband of nearly 74 years a somber sendoff on Saturday, April 17 with a traditional ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. After a heartbreaking photo of her sitting alone at the intimate service went viral, more melancholy details have been revealed from the event.
The Queen left a handwritten note on top of her love’s coffin. It joined the Duke of Edinburgh’s personal flag, sword and naval cap, as well as custom wreath. While PEOPLE reported that the palace wouldn’t comment on the “private” contents of her card, it was clear the icon signed the note with her childhood nickname “Lilibet.” The name was used by close family when the royal was too young to properly pronounce Elizabeth. Over the years Philip kept the nickname up as a term of endearment for his wife.
Their son Prince Andrew opened up about the Queen and how she’s been handling Philip’s passing. “The Queen as you would expect is an incredibly stoic person and she described his passing as a ‘miracle’ and she’s contemplating,” the royal told reporters, adding: “She described it as having left a huge void in her life.”
After a long and vibrant life, Philip passed away on April 9 at the age of 99. To keep with COVID-19 regulations, his funeral was limited to just 30 guests. Elizabeth and her loved ones kept on masks while inside the chapel and remained 6-feet apart. Browse through the most moving moments from Prince Philip’s funeral here.