Elizabeth II: the symbolic object hidden in her bag during the funeral

 Sylvie Claire / April 19, 2021

The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh was a moment of intense emotion for the royal family, and especially for Elizabeth II. To cope with this very difficult moment, the Queen had slipped a symbolic object into her handbag.

On April 9, Queen Elizabeth II lost the love of her life, Prince Philip, to whom she was married for 73 years. The image of the Queen alone in the front row of St. George's Chapel to pay her last respects to her husband went around the world. To cope with this complicated moment, she carried in her handbag symbolic souvenirs of her life with Philip.

In particular, she had a white handkerchief of the prince, made by his tailors, which he always inserted in the breast pocket of his suits. According to British royal experts, it was even a characteristic element of the Duke of Edinburgh's clothing style.

She had also taken a photo of her and her husband taken in Malta. This island is a real symbol for the couple since they lived there from 1949 to 1951, the first years of their marriage. Prince Philip was mobilized there as a naval officer. Elizabeth II confided that this period was one of the best of her life, because it was the only time she could live normally. The couple had also celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007.