Late Queen’s loving gesture when Prince George and Princess Charlotte came to stay

The late Queen’s devotion to her life of duty was unparalleled. She reigned for more than 70 years, longer than any other monarch in British history, and committed herself entirely to public service.

It would have been a lonely position to be in, were it not for one thing, according to the Princess of Wales. Kate spoke affectionately about the monarch in the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at 90.

She reflected on her extraordinary life, and the importance of her 74-year marriage to Prince Philip. The princess said: “All the time, William and I are so struck by the queen’s sense of duty and commitment and I think to do that by yourself I think would be a very, very lonely place to be but I think to have the support of your husband there by your side on those occasions and behind closed doors as well I think is really special.

In a marriage that lasted more than seven decades, Prince Philip was the Queen’s biggest support in public – and in private the one person who knew her best.

As one secretary previously told the BBC: “Prince Philip is the only man in the world who treats the Queen simply as another human being. He’s the only man who can.”

Their grandson Prince William would later sum up their connection, saying: “He makes her laugh because some of the things he says and does and the way he looks at life is obviously slightly different than her, so together they’re a great couple.”

Speaking on their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1997, the late monarch perfectly encapsulated the essence of her relationship with Philip, a bond which had stretched back to the 1930s, when they were first introduced.