September 8 will see the UK, in particular the Royal Family, remember Queen Elizabeth on the one-year anniversary of her death.
For King Charles it will be an emotional day especially as it also marks the day he became monarch after serving as Prince of Wales for a record-breaking 64 years.
Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952, upon the death of her father King George VI, although she was still a young woman at the time.
For the Queen then and the King now, these occasions signify both a deep personal loss and their promotion to the most important role they will hold in their lives.
It is thought His Majesty will be in Balmoral for his mother’s anniversary, the same place she died, however royal expert Marlene Koenig told Express.co.uk how the late Queen marked one year since King George’s death over 70 years ago.
Get the latest royal news straight to your phone by joining our Whatsapp community!
George VI became King in 1936, upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, and reigned until 1952 when he passed away from cancer at the age of 56.
He had not initially expected to be King due to being the younger son, with some claiming that the stress of the position contributed to his death at a relatively young age.
Ms Koenig explained how “difficult” the day was for his heir, then-Princess Elizabeth, who was on a royal tour in Kenya when she heard the sad news about her father.
She said: “February 6, 1953, would have been a difficult day for Elizabeth on several levels. Her beloved father died – that in itself – would be a traumatic event as he was young (by today’s standards) but his illness (cancer) was hidden from everyone including his daughter, who was only 25 when he died.
“She was a young woman happily married with 2 young children. The loss of her father was personal on one level, but on another level, he was the Sovereign. The King is Dead – Long Live the Queen. Yes, her father prepared her for her future role, but no one expected the king to die at age 56.
“Elizabeth had to grieve privately, just as her son, Charles, had to grieve privately – and share his grief with the world.”
She gave an insight into how the late Queen would spend February 6 every year, saying: “For the rest of her life, the Queen always spent the anniversary of her father’s death at Sandringham (where he died).
“On the first anniversary of her father’s death, the Queen spent it quietly at Sandringham. She and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a private Holy Communion Service at the Sandringham parish church, This service was officiated by her domestic chaplain Rev. H.D. Anderson.
“No one else was present at this service. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was at Royal Lodge in Windsor with Princess Margaret.”
