For the first time since Prince Philip's death and on her birthday, the Queen of Britain said the royal family was going through a "period of great sadness" • "Thank you for your support"
In Queen Elizabeth's first public statement since her husband, Prince Philip, passed away at the age of 99, she recounted how moved she was by the gestures.
Prince Philip's funeral, Saturday // Photo: Reuters
"While we as a family are in a time of great sadness, it was a comfort to all of us to see and hear all the gestures to my husband, from the UK and around the world," Elizabeth said in a statement on her 95th birthday today.
"My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and generosity we have received in recent days," the British Queen added.
"We were very excited about it, and it's a reminder to us that Philip has had an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life."
The closeness between Philip's death and his burial and Elizabeth's birthday, flooded again among the kingdom's residents the fact that her long tenure was about to end.
The death of Prince Philip has ignited speculation over the question of how much time Elizabeth has left in the throne, what the monarchy will look like in the future and whether there is any point in the monarchical institution in the modern era.
While most observers say the Queen will not relinquish her public duties in her official role, she has already shifted some of the responsibility to Prince Charles, her 72-year-old son, after Philip's death.
Prince Charles' role has gradually expanded since the Queen began to give up long-haul flights.
For example, he took his place at an official conference in Sri Lanka in 2013.
"Symbolically, the process of succession is already in full swing," explained a historian specializing in the experiences of the British monarchy.
In a conversation with the AP news agency, he estimated that Britain was going to see more of Prince Charles in the coming years, so that citizens would begin to get used to seeing him in his new role as king.
