The Queen’s heartache over painfully bittersweet day

The Queen is facing great heartache as she marks a painfully bittersweet day on February 9th after returning to Windsor Castle.

• Her Majesty has just marked the anniversary of her father’s death at Sandringham, but already she’s set for another equally painful occasion. 
• Despite the difficult date there's some joy in store for the Queen thanks to one of her five great-grandsons.
• This royal news comes as Kate Middleton’s personal sacrifice to make her marriage to Prince William work was revealed.

The monarch has recently marked the official start of her Platinum Jubilee year in 2022 but whilst some look forward to the four-day bank holiday filled with celebrations, for the Queen it was likely tinged with huge sadness. Having returned to Sandringham earlier that week, she reflected on her father King George VI’s death in private on February 6th - the tragic moment that saw her officially become Queen all those years ago. 

Now the Queen has arrived back at her Berkshire home, Windsor Castle. Though sadly she hasn’t left her heartache behind as she prepares for a bittersweet day.

Just three days after the anniversary of King George VI's passing, Her Majesty’s thoughts will likely be full of her sister Princess Margaret, who passed away on February 9th 2002. 

The memory of losing Margaret likely makes this particular date especially heartbreaking for the Queen. The Countess of Snowdon’s presence is still felt strongly in The Firm, with some fans even describing Princess Charlotte as the spitting image of her daughter Lady Sarah Chatto.

Whilst her granddaughter Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones was a bridesmaid when Prince William and Kate Middleton married. But despite February 9th having such painful associations, it’s not without it's fair share of joyful moments thanks to one of the Queen’s great-grandchildren, making the day truly bittersweet.

Princess Eugenie gave birth to August Brooksbank on this poignant date in 2021, meaning that her and Jack Brooksbank's little boy has now reached his milestone first birthday. This joyful occasion perhaps helps to lighten the Queen’s grief on this challenging anniversary.

And though it’s not known how Eugenie, Jack and August will be celebrating, reports claimed Prince George had a sweet Zoom call with the monarch on his birthday last year. The Queen also reportedly loves Zoom calls with her other great-grandson Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Both boys are older than little August but it’s of course possible that he could also enjoy a lovely video call with his great-granny for his big day. 

However they choose to mark the occasion, August's first birthday falling on the anniversary of Princess Margaret's death likely makes this an incredibly bittersweet day for the Queen.