To commence the beginning of a weekend of national and Commonwealth celebrations, one final portrait of Her Majesty The Queen has been unveiled and it’s truly beautiful.
The stunning shot, taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, shows Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh with his wife of 68 years at their beloved Windsor Castle just after Easter.
Alongside the image, the Queen has remarked: “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.”
The Queen and Prince Philip will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary in November.
In the snap, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch sits regally beside her husband.
Shedding the extravagance for a stripped down close up of the two, the pair smile down the lens of the camera looking polished.
Their strong bond is clear for all to see and it provides a rare glimpse into one of the strongest royal marriages in history.
In the past, The Duke has previously joked of their first few meetings: “You were so shy. I couldn’t get a word out of you.”
But after decades of marriage, The Queen and Philip have only flourished as a couple.
“You can take it from me, the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance,” Prince Philip has remarked, before adding “the secret of a happy marriage is to have different interests.”
Watch Prince Philip discuss figuring out his role alongside The Queen in the player below. Post continues after the video!
Her Majesty dons a salmon-pink cardigan adorned with gold buttons, a striped blouse and her signature pearl earrings while her husband matches his beloved with a pink pocket square tucked into a checkered suit that sits atop a pastel pink shirt.
This last, stunning portrait is the sixth in the series shot by the famed American photographer in celebration of the 90-year-old’s incredible milestone.
And it is fitting that Elizabeth II should stand beside her loving husband on the day of its released, June 10, as this day also marks the Duke’s 95th birthday.
The previous portraits released in the series showed the monarch at Windsor Castle sitting comfortably in the lush gardens of her country estate.
Perched on a bench covered by a blue blanket, Her Majesty is surrounded by her four loyal corgis and dorgies Willow, Vulcan, Candy and Holly.
And it was an idea thought up by the Queen herself!
“The most moving, important thing about this shoot is that these were all her ideas,” Annie, 66, said to Vanity Fair.
“I was told how relaxed she was at Windsor, and it was really true. You get the sense of how at peace she was with herself, and very much enthralled with her family.”
Learn more about the Queen’s 90th birthday in the video below – story continues after the video
It’s been a year of continuous celebrations for the Matriarch, who began her birthday celebrations all the way back in April.
Kicking off her special day with a local walkabout, Her Majesty was greeted by thousands of adoring fans, who had lined the streets of Windsor to wish her a very happy 90th birthday.
Following the short engagement, the Queen headed home to her lavish castle, where she was believed to be having a private dinner with 71 guests, including 30 members of the royal family.
Yesterday, the Queen stepped out in a vibrant pink and white ensemble with matching hat for an event at London’s Marlborough House, where she celebrated the launch of a new Commonwealth Hub.
The royal’s birthday celebrations will resume this weekend, with the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony.
The Queen wore a cake-inspired hat to celebrate the launch of a new Commonwealth Hub in London yesterday. Photo: Getty
