Queen honours Prince Philip on poignant Balmoral trip as she visits their special place

The Queen is understood to have honoured Prince Philip during her annual Balmoral trip as she reportedly returned to an incredibly meaningful place.

• The Queen is undertaking her first Balmoral trip since her husband of 73 years (opens in new tab), Prince Philip passed away.
• The royal couple are understood to have loved one area in particular and it seems Her Majesty has honoured their happy memories as she returned there this week. 
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as Prince William and Kate Middleton issue a heartfelt message ahead of Paralympics – and fans have spotted this very significant detail (opens in new tab).

The Queen has reportedly been spotted enjoying a countryside picnic during her annual Balmoral trip, but it’s the location she chose that makes this outing even more significant. Though Her Majesty regularly enjoys family time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren (opens in new tab) in Scotland, she will now no doubt be drawing even greater comfort from their visits. This year marks the first Balmoral holiday since Prince Philip’s death and it’s said to be especially “hard” (opens in new tab) without him. 

The royal couple’s Balmoral summer trips gave them a chance to relax and spend time together. Now it’s been claimed that Her Majesty has returned to one of their special places as she honours his memory. 

In his Eden Confidential column for the Daily Mail (opens in new tab), Richard Eden claimed that the Queen visited one of her and the Duke of Edinburgh’s “favourite beauty spots”. 

“I hear she visited Glen Muick, eight miles from Balmoral, for a picnic yesterday with young children — believed to belong to either her granddaughter, Zara Tindall (opens in new tab), or grandson, Peter Phillips,” the royal commentator alleged.

He also went on to remark upon how the Queen “loves it there so much she named one of her new puppies Muick”. 

The Queen welcomed two puppies earlier this year and the adorable names of the new arrivals (opens in new tab) were revealed to be Fergus and Muick, reportedly after Loch Muick. If the Queen did indeed take her grandchildren for a picnic in nearby Glen Muick, it is certainly a lovely way to honour her and Prince Philip’s happy memories. 

This general area also includes the Coyles of Muick which was where the heartfelt snap of the Queen and Prince Philip that was shared ahead of his funeral was taken by Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

The moving caption declared, ‘The Queen wishes to share this private photograph taken with The Duke of Edinburgh at the top of the Coyles of Muick, Scotland in 2003.’

In it, the Queen and Prince Philip are sitting on the grass and beaming at the camera, with the Duke's hat perched jauntily on his knee. Earlier this year, their daughter-in-law Sophie opened up to BBC Radio 5’s Naga Munchetty about taking this touching family photo. 

She reflected on how losing Prince Philip left a “giant-sized hole” (opens in new tab) in their family and how they recently visited the area themselves.

"I was pregnant with Louise at the time [the photograph was taken]. We went up there during half term and just to be there in that place, it was an 'Oh my God' moment," the Countess explained. 

Reflecting, Sophie added that it was “good to remember” despite those heartbreaking moments where they are reminded of Prince Philip’s loss. 

The Queen will no doubt be thinking of him too as she enjoys the rest of her Balmoral break.