The incredibly sweet tradition that Prince Philip did on the Queen's birthday has been revealed as she faced her first birthday as a widow yesterday.
- A 45-year-old newspaper article has resurfaced revealing the incredibly touching tradition Prince Philip kept up on the Queen's birthday.
- The Queen faced her 95th birthday without Philip yesterday, just days after his funeral in Windsor.
- This royal news follows the Queen's emotional birthday message, in which she thanked the public for their 'support and kindness' during a ‘period of great sadness’
Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter posted a 45-year-old Montreal Gazette article on Twitter, which read, "Birthday morning, the queen will find a flower on her breakfast tray – a token her husband never forgets."
Victoria's post went on to share the Queen's birthday tradition, as she added, "There will be gifts from members of the family – her sons Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and Prince Andrew as well as Edward, her daughter, Princess Anne, wife of Capt. Mark Phillips, Queen Mother Elizabeth and others. There will be a family lunch."
The article, which was written to mark the Queen's 50th birthday, offers a rare insight into her relationship with Philip, which is all the more poignant given that Her Majesty, who famously has two birthdays a year, just celebrated her first birthday without her husband.
The Queen and Prince Philip spent 73 years of marriage together and the Duke won her heart from the moment they met when she was just 13.
The Queen celebrated her 95th birthday on April 21st, just 12 days after the Duke died. Although the monarch spent the day at Windsor Castle privately, she did issue a statement thanking the public for their well wishes.
The Queen's message read, "I have, on the occasion of my 95th birthday today, received many messages of good wishes, which I very much appreciate.
"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."
The statement, signed 'Elizabeth R', ended with, "My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life."
