Throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen has remained one of the world’s most composed public personalities, rarely expressing her emotions in public.
However, an insider has disclosed that the massive outpouring of gratitude from the British public and Commonwealth nations left Elizabeth ‘tearful and overwhelmed with emotion’ at the Jubilee celebrations’ spectacular climax last Sunday.
The Queen’s appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Platinum Jubilee Pageant was the high point of the four-day event for many commentators.
The Queen was seen standing next to a slimmed-down version of the Royal Family’s official working members, dressed in a brilliant green Stewart Parvin crepe wool dress and coat with matching cap by Rachel Trevor-Morgan.
Despite this, the historic event was on the verge of being canceled.
‘The Queen just chose to go to London around three hours before the balcony appearance,’ according to a source.
‘She wasn’t in the best of spirits, but the Prince of Wales had called and told her she should come if she could.’
He persuaded her to come because there were so many people who wanted to see her.’
The Queen was bound by duty to travel from Windsor to London and was astounded by the welcome she received.
‘The Queen was completely overwhelmed by the number of people waiting to see her – tears welled up in her eyes before she stepped out on the balcony,’ a source added.
The 96-year-old Monarch’s appearance had been carefully choreographed in the moments leading up to it, with the Prince of Wales to her right and the Duke of Cambridge and his eldest son, Prince George, to her left – a lasting image of the next three generations who will succeed her – after agreement with the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge.
It’s possible that this is the final time all four generations are seen together at such a high-profile event.
The Queen offered a deeply personal statement of thanks, inspired by the public’s response both at home and abroad.
‘While I may not have been able to attend every event in person, my heart has been with you all, and I am committed to serving you to the best of my ability, with the help of my family,’ she said.
Although she was glimpsed surreptitiously brushing away a tear during a ceremony to decommission her beloved Royal Yacht Britannia in December 1997, the Queen rarely shows emotion in public.
The Queen’s reign will now shift into a new phase.
‘Over time, the Queen will revert to becoming a more virtual Queen, with digital appearances and video conversations,’ according to a source.
Rather than ‘looking back’ on the Jubilee, the Queen is now ‘looking forward,’ according to a Royal source.
Craigowan Lodge, a stone hamlet on the Balmoral Estate, has been kitted out with mobility aids, including a stair lift, and she is set to spend a long summer break there.
The Queen plans to attend the Order of the Garter investiture tomorrow, but she will not join the procession or attend the service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
The Duchess of Cornwall, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Baroness Amos will be inducted into the 700-year-old order of Knighthood during the historic occasion. The Queen is the one who makes the appointments.
After tomorrow’s ceremony, the Queen will travel to Balmoral, where she feels completely at ease.
The Queen traveled to Scotland with her bloodstock manager, John Warren, the weekend before the Platinum Jubilee celebrations to see the foals born this year.
‘I can’t suppose anyone would begrudge our 96-year-old Sovereign a well-deserved holiday after everything that’s happened this year and the success of the Jubilee,’ an insider said.