news

Queen Elizabeth Breaks Her Silence with Rare Statement: ‘a Period of Great Sadness’

Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her 95th birthday today. And she’s using the occasion to speak out for the first time since announcing the loss of her husband, Prince Philip.

On Wednesday, the monarch released a personal statement via Buckingham Palace thanking fans and followers for their birthday wishes as well as their ongoing support during this difficult time in her family.

The message, which was also shared on the official Royal Family Instagram, began, “I have, on the occasion of my 95th birthday today, received many messages of good wishes, which I very much appreciate. While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.”

“My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life."

She simply signed the letter, “Elizabeth R.”

Yesterday, Prince William was the first to speak out on social media since the service at Windsor Castle (although his message was not regarding the loss of his grandfather).

The queen usually commemorates her birth publicly with the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, however, this has been canceled for the second year in a row. And while don’t know exactly how she will be celebrating this year, Buckingham Palace previously revealed she will be "spending it privately.”

Happy birthday, Liz. Sending you lots of love and birthday wishes.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.

LISTEN TO ‘ROYALLY OBSESSED,’ THE PODCAST FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE ROYAL FAMILY


Why You Should Trust Us

PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.