The Queen Elizabeth will give a television tribute to the Queen on Sunday, praising her for playing her own role for many years while she was in the “difficult position” of being a “recluse woman” in a male-dominated world.
In prerecorded words, she will also remember the late Queen’s ‘dazzling blue eyes’ and say, ‘I will always remember her smile’.
The Queen Consort’s salute to her mother-in-law will be broadcast shortly before the national silence at 8pm.
Camilla will say: ‘She’s been a part of our lives forever. I’m 75 now and I don’t remember having anyone but the Queen. It must have been very difficult for her to be a solitary woman.’
There were no women prime ministers or presidents. She was the only one so I think she carved her role.”
Camilla will remember the late Queen, adding: “She has those gorgeous blue eyes, and when she smiles it lights up her whole face. I will always remember her smile. That smile is unforgettable.”
Two of the Queen’s granddaughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, paid homage to their grandmother before participating in vigil ceremony With her six other grandchildren, they watch her coffin in Westminster Hall.
The two sisters, daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, said there had been “tears and laughter, silence and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and the collective loss of you, our beloved Queen and our beloved grandmothers”.
Their statement said, “We haven’t been able to put much into words since you left us all. We thought, like so many, that you would be here forever. And we all miss you dearly.”
“You were our mothers, our guide, our loving hand on our back guiding us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish these lessons and memories forever.
“For now, my dear, all we want to say is thank you.”
Agencies contributed to this report
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