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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jennifer Newton

Queen faces painful anniversary just a day after honouring late husband Prince Philip

It has already been an emotional week for the Queen - and it looks like it is set to continue.

Yesterday, despite her mobility issues, she made the journey from Windsor Castle to London to celebrate the life of her late beloved husband Prince Philip at a memorial service at Westminster Abbey.

At one point, the monarch looked tearful as she remembered her husband and listened to the many tributes to him.

And now, today, she will also mark a painful anniversary - the 20th anniversary of the death of her dearly loved mother the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother died on March 30, 2002, at the age of 101 at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The Queen at Westminster Abbey for the Prince Philip memorial service (PA)

It came just weeks after the death of her younger daughter and the Queen's sister Princess Margaret.

Her funeral took place just over a week later on April 9 at Westminster Abbey after her coffin had been taken to Westminster Hall for it to lie in state.

On the eve of her funeral, the Queen made a rare move when she gave a televised address to the nation.

The Queen Mother who died 20 years ago today (Getty Images)

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Apart from her Christmas message, the only other times she has made such addresses were following the death of Princess Diana, during the Gulf War in 1991, on her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Queen with her late mother in 1976 (Getty Images)

Paying tribute to her mum, the Queen said: "Over the years I have met many people who have had to cope with family loss, sometimes in the most tragic of circumstances. So I count myself fortunate that my mother was blessed with a long and happy life.

"She had an infectious zest for living, and this remained with her until the very end. I know too that her faith was always a great strength to her.

"At the ceremony tomorrow I hope that sadness will blend with a wider sense of thanksgiving, not just for her life but for the times in which she lived — a century for this country and the Commonwealth not without its trials and sorrows, but also one of extraordinary progress, full of examples of courage and service as well as fun and laughter.

"This is what my mother would have understood because it was the warmth and affection of people everywhere which inspired her resolve, dedication and enthusiasm for life."

To mark the anniversary of her death today, the Royal Family's official Twitter account shared a lovely picture of the Queen Mother.

The caption read: "Today marks 20 years since the death of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

"Her Majesty inspired great affection from the public which her daughter The Queen spoke of as, ‘the special place she occupied in the hearts of so many.’"

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