This Morning returned to ITV on Monday (September 12) for a special episode to honour the late Queen. Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were back at the helm of the show after the programme was taken off air on Friday.
Following the BBC's announcement of Queen Elizabeth II's death on Thursday evening (September 8), ITV made significant changes to its usual daytime TV schedule. Friday saw Good Morning Britain deliver a live broadcast hosted by Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard from 6am, and then from 9am until the evening, viewers watched an extended ITV News Special.
This meant that Holly and Phil were absent from our screens until today when they returned for a tribute programme. At a later time of 11am, the pair appeared in smart, black outfits as they addressed the Queen's passing.
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The two-hour long episode saw Holly and Phil joined by guests including their fellow co-hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary as they reminisced about Her Majesty and heard stories and memories from people who met The Queen during her reign.
Holly, 41, then shared some personal tributes from her own family as she read out touching letters her three children had written to Queen Elizabeth II following her death.
The TV presenter revealed she had taken her children Harry, 13, Belle 11, and Chester, seven, to Buckingham Palace to see the sea of flowers, gifts and messages left for the nation's longest-reigning monarch.
A photo posted on Holly's Instagram showed Belle laying a card for the Queen with a bouquet of flowers. She wrote: "Time to reflect and pay our respects." And the TV host added proudly: "The children wrote the most beautiful words…"
On today's show Holly first read out the heartfelt tribute her eldest child Harry had left for the Queen, which read: "Dear the Queen, what a journey it has been from a regular young queen who only met one Prime Minister to a national treasure who has met 15 Prime Ministers, and is the greatest queen England has has ever seen.
"You have done so well without Phillip, I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. I'm glad you get to see him again. You have made the impossible possible by what you have achieved.
"Whenever you smiled, it would make me smile. This is one of the greatest qualities a human can have. Can I also say thank you for football, without you I wouldn't be playing on the team I am today.
"Long live the King."
Holly appeared to be getting emotional as Alison comforted her whilst also expressing her emotion.
The presenter then read out her daughter Belle's letter which was a slightly different tone.
"To your Majesty, I hope you are having an outstanding time in heaven with Phillip and your mother and father," Holly read.
"We will be thinking of you and missing you. I am Belle, I'm 11, my favourite colour is yellow and I love Winnie The Pooh. I know you prefer Paddington but I still think we can be friends. Love Belle."
Holly's youngest son Chester's letter simply read: "To your Majesty, thank you for being our queen. Lots of love Chester."
Her co-host Phil responded: "Sometimes those few words can be just as powerful."
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