It’s almost a year since the death of the much-loved monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
She became the longest-serving King or Queen in British history and held the record for the third-longest reign in the world.
She was also the first monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 just months before her death on September 8, 2022.
But beyond her role in the public gaze, she was also a caring matriarch to her extended family, a source of strength and guidance, who was well-known for never complaining nor explaining.
As the anniversary of her approaches, many will look back at her legacy of resilience.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will lead public tributes, while King Charles has chosen a more private path – opting for quiet reflection at Balmoral, where his reign began just 12 months ago.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says the King’s decision mirrors the choice his mother made to mark her father’s death privately at Sandringham House on February 6 each year.
She told OK!: “I think the King has shown that he wants to emulate his mother in many ways – and that includes her tradition of marking the anniversary of King George VI’s death away from the public gaze. She always spent the day privately at Sandringham.
“Charles paid the most handsome tribute to the late Queen at the time of her death. She was, he said, an inspiration and example to the whole family. So he has already eloquently said his piece and now he will follow her example by marking the anniversary in the tranquility of the Balmoral estate.”
“He finds great solace walking among the hills of Scotland, and that’s probably what he’ll do.
“The fact that he has asked William and Catherine to lead a public tribute speaks volumes about how much he trusts and relies on them to support him in all that he now has to do.”
