The First Thing Queen Elizabeth Said Publicly About Prince Philip After His Death

Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99. His wife, Queen Elizabeth, undoubtedly had a very difficult time saying goodbye to her husband of 73 years, as the two had been by each other's sides for most of their lives. Two months after Philip's death, People magazine revealed how the queen was coping with the tragic loss. Between talking with her family and friends via video calls and spending time with her dogs, the queen had managed to find some peace in the dark days that the summer held for her. Nevertheless, she pulled through. "I always felt that she was never knocked off course. It's her way to remain as steady as possible," a source told People.

While the queen did take a period of mourning following Philip's death, she returned to work just about a week after her husband's funeral, according to ABC News. "She understands that she has a job to do, and [Philip] would have wanted her to crack on. She loves to work. She is never idle," a source close to the queen told People. The queen has remained dedicated to her duties within The Firm, and has continued to lead her family — and the UK — over the past several months. She hasn't spoken much about Philip, but that changed during the Scottish Parliament formal opening that was held on October 2, according to the Daily Mail.

On October 2, Queen Elizabeth made a speech at Holyrood's debating chamber, and couldn't help but reminisce about the times that she and Prince Philip spent in Scotland over the years, according to the Daily Mail. "Today is also a day when we can celebrate those who have made an extraordinary contribution to the lives of other people in Scotland, locally or nationally during the Covid-19 pandemic. I have spoken before of my deep and abiding affection for this wonderful country and of the many happy memories Prince Philip and I always held of our time here. It is often said that it is the people that make a place. And there are few places where this is truer than in Scotland," the queen said, marking her first public comments about Philip since his death.

Following the queen's speech, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon offered her condolences, expressing "deep sympathy and shared sorrow" on behalf of parliament.