Social media users have praised Queen Elizabeth for her composure during Prince Philip's funeral today.
On Saturday, April 17, the Queen and 29 other specially selected guests gathered in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle for the funeral of the late Duke of Edinburgh.
In observance of social distancing guidelines, Her Majesty sat alone during the proceedings.
Wearing a mask and dressed in black for mourning, The Queen cut a somber and solitary figure, and a number of viewers of the service were moved by her situation as a grieving widow amid the pandemic.
For instance, one person wrote: "What an unbelievably sad image.
"Never would anyone have imagined The Queen would have had to say her final goodbye to her beloved husband this way #PrincePhilipfuneral. [sic]"
A second person tweeted: "Seeing the Queen sat alone is a deeply upsetting sight - my heart goes out to her, but also to the many thousands of families who’ve also had to grieve lost loved ones during the pandemic.
"I wouldn’t wish that experience on anybody #PrincePhilipfuneral."
A third commented: "This is an incredibly moving image of the Queen alone today."
Another person tweeted: "This is the saddest photo I’ve seen since a very long time [...] My heart is breaking for The Queen."
Meanwhile, another commenter wrote: "First time I have ever seen the Queen look so frail my heart is breaking #PrincePhilipfuneral. [sic]"
This viewer agreed, stating: "It is absolutely heartbreaking that the Queen has to hold her head down and not really show her emotions.
"Losing the love of her life and best friend of 70+ years. Bloody horrible to watch."
Finally, another person then stated: "I love this woman. She might be a widow now but she’s not alone.
"Millions around the commonwealth adore and support her. She’s our nation’s grandmother. God Save The Queen. #GSTQ [sic]"
Buckingham Palace first announced the news of Prince Philip's death at the age of 99 in an official statement made on Friday morning, which read:
"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
"His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
In fact, the hashtag "#GodSaveTheQueen" is trending on Twitter in the UK as of this writing:
A total of 30 guests, including Prince William, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, attended the Duke's funeral - which was drastically scaled back due to Covid social distancing restrictions.
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry, did not attend the service, owing to the advice of her physician - but was reportedly watching from her home in Montecito, California.
While there will be no public access, the service and short procession will be televised. The Royal Family has asked that the public do not visit Windsor to pay their respects, in the interests of national health and safety during the pandemic.