Queen Elizabeth makes first public appearance in five months at memorial for late husband Prince Philip

Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99, but only 30 people attended last year’s funeral because of coronavirus lockdown rules that forced the queen to sit alone as she mourned her husband

There had been concerns about the queen’s health after the 95-year-old recently recovered from Covid-19, and did not attend a Commonwealth Day service earlier this month

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Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (L), and front row (L to R) Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, attend a Service of Thanksgiving for Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey in central London on Tuesday. Philip, who was married to the queen for 73 years, died on April 9 last year aged 99, following a month-long stay in hospital with a heart complaint. Photo: Pool/AFP

Published: 8:05pm, 29 Mar 2022Updated: 11:43pm, 29 Mar 2022

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth made her first public appearance in five months on Tuesday when she joined the royal family and other dignitaries at a memorial service in honour of her husband Prince Philip, who died last year.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who was by his wife’s side for more than seven decades, passed away at their Windsor Castle home in April, two months shy of his 100th birthday.

Only 30 mourners were able to attend his funeral service then due to strict coronavirus rules, which meant the queen poignantly sat alone as her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel of the castle.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (L), and front row (L to R) Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Britain’s Princess Anne, Princess Royal, and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, with second row (L to R) Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain’s Prince George of Cambridge and Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend a Service of Thanksgiving for Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on Tuesday. Photo: Pool/AFP

Tuesday’s service of thanksgiving at London’s Westminster Abbey was a much bigger event, with the queen joining her heir, Prince Charles, his son William and wife Kate and other members of the royal family, including their children.

Joining them in the congregation was foreign kings and queens, friends of the late duke, politicians including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, military figures and more than 500 representatives from charities and other organisations he championed.

Buckingham Palace said the 95-year-old queen had been actively involved in its planning.

The monarch herself has been forced to cut back on her duties since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unspecified illness and was advised to rest, and there have been concerns about her health after she cancelled a number of planned engagements since then.