London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026

Queen left 'private handwritten note' on Prince Philip's coffin in final goodbye

Queen left 'private handwritten note' on Prince Philip's coffin in final goodbye

Queen Elizabeth left a handwritten note for Prince Philip on his coffin as she bid a final farewell to her husband of 73 years.

The card was placed alongside a wreath including white lilies, small white roses and white freesia, which was hand-chosen by the monarch.

Only a glimpse of it can be seen in photos from Saturday’s funeral.

It appears to say ‘In Loving Memory’ on the front with an official royal stamp.

Buckingham Palace declined to share its contents, saying the note was ‘private’.

Some reports have suggested the Queen signed it with ‘Lilibet’ – a nickname she was given as a child.

A note left on Philip’s coffin from the Queen

The Queen and Prince Philip were married for 73 years


Philip is thought to be the last person who called by her childhood moniker.

The Queen was forced to mourn alone away from her family in St George’s Chapel today due to coronavirus restrictions.

The monarch looked grief-stricken as she kept her head bowed during the ceremony.

According to body language expert Judi James, Her Majesty, 94, had an obvious ‘need for some support’ as her beloved husband was laid to rest.

James noted the moment the Queen ‘paused for reassurance’ before entering the chapel.



Queen Elizabeth II was forced to sit alone due to Covid restrictions

She told Mail Online: ‘There was one moment when she paused and turned around before entering the chapel and it looked terribly poignant, almost as though she couldn’t face going in alone. She turned for what looked like reassurance that her party was behind her.’

The monarch had arrived at the service in the royal Bentley with her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey, 81.

Lady Susan was there as a working household member and not one of the 30 guests, so she could not sit with the Queen during the service.

Before the funeral began, the Queen paused for reflection for a moment with her husband’s coffin.

She is said to have spent most of the past week alone grieving her other half.

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Prince Philip into St George’s Chapel


Several members of the royal family have vowed to step up and support the monarch as she grapples with the loss of the man she was married to for more than seven decades.

But while grateful for the support, the Queen is determined to carry on.

A royal source told People: ‘Her family will step up and be by her side, but she will carry on. She understands that she has a job to do, and[Philip] would have wanted her to crack on. She did do so when he retired from public life.’

‘She will never abdicate because of duty and honor and public service is so deep in her, as it was for him,’ another insider added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
Scottish Government Proposes Replacing 32 Councils With Larger Regional Authorities
Ofgem Raises UK Household Energy Price Cap by 4% From October
UK Counter-Terrorism Police Continue Investigation After Five Arrests Near RAF Fairford
OECD Cuts UK 2027 Growth Forecast to 1%
Labour Says State Pension Triple Lock Remains Protected Through Current Parliament
Andy Burnham Pledges National Care Service With Free Social Care in England
Six Flags Permanently Shuts Landmark X2 Roller Coaster Following Safety Scandals
Metropolitan Police Rule Out Terrorism in Golders Green Stabbing Investigation
Lithium-Ion Battery Identified as Cause of Fatal Merseyside House Fire
UK Department Rejects New Sea Use Framework Due to Stakeholder Fatigue
Major Thames Water Pipe Burst Causes School Closures in London
Aldi Commits £900 Million to Expand UK Supermarket Network
Scottish Affairs Committee Warns Skills Shortages Threaten Defence Sector Expansion
Parliamentary Committee Warns Northern Ireland Budget Deadlock is Stalling Economic Growth
NHS Hospitals in England Face Severe Shortages of Essential Medications
Home Secretary Signals Major Overhaul of UK Immigration and Leave to Remain Policies
Chancellor Promises New Job Schemes Alongside Strict Fiscal Discipline
Energy Secretary Proposes Taxpayer-Funded Green Transition and National Electricity Grid
UK Government to Renationalise Avanti West Coast Railway Franchise in March
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Major Social Care and Infrastructure Reforms
Five Suspects Released on Bail Following Alleged Bomb Plot Near RAF Fairford
UK Diesel Prices Hit Record High of 199p Per Litre
Transport for Wales and Network Rail Complete Electrification of South Wales Metro
Defra Expands Incentives for Sustainable Farming and Biodiversity in England
Northern Ireland Executive Approves Funding Package to Resolve Public Sector Pay Disputes
Universities UK Warns of Financial Insolvency Risks for Higher Education Institutions
UK Prisons Activate Emergency Protocols to Manage Capacity Pressures
UK Government Establishes New Safety Standards for Frontier AI Models
Home Office Tightens Skilled Worker Visa Requirements and Dependent Rules
Ministry of Defence Restructures Royal Navy Frigate Procurement to Prevent Overruns
UK Government Mandates New Housing Targets to Address National Shortage
UK and Scottish Governments Reach Agreement on North Sea Energy Transition
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Reduce Surgical Backlogs in England
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Service Sector Inflation Persists
UK Chancellor Announces Fiscal Consolidation Measures to Stabilize National Debt
RNLI Chief Executive Condemns Misinformation and Abuse Targeting Volunteer Crews
Metropolitan Police Charge Swindon Man with Assisting Foreign Intelligence Services
British Intelligence Report Warns Environmental Collapse Threatens Global Defense Infrastructure
×