THE tiny, bowed figure of the Queen sitting silently alone in St George’s Chapel is an image that will last forever.
The cruelty of the situation, which saw the monarch forced to say goodbye to the love of her life without anyone by her side, will be hard to forget and is a stark reminder of the brutal impact of Covid rules.
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Her masked face showed no emotion, not even a tear was visible.
Since she was a child, she had been taught to look impassive and this was certainly not the moment she was going to let herself down.
She might have looked alone but she was not. She adheres to a strict, old-fashioned Christian faith.
And in times of difficulty and sorrow, she relies on her faith to support her, which it clearly did.
She knew the man she had loved since she was a teenager was finally at peace.
The Queen is never alone. Her staff as she calls them (never servants) are a small loyal band that have dedicated their lives to making hers run smoothly.
She looks after them, listens to their problems, helps their families and is prepared to put up with all kinds of small indiscretions.
Now she is widowed and if she has the longevity of her mother, it may be for some time. But she has no intention of changing things. She has a few female friends left.
She has her Ladies in Waiting and her loyal band of staff. She has her faith. She will never be alone.
