Time Of Mourning, Queen Elizabeth II's 95th Birthday Without A Celebration

Ratu Elizabeth II. (Wikimedia Commons/Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff)

JAKARTA - Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her 95th birthday today. Her first birthday without her husband, Prince Philip Mountbatten, who died and was buried on Saturday, April 17 last week.

Launching Harper's Bazaar Tuesday, April 20, a source said Queen Elizabeth II will only spend her birthday together with family members.

There will be no public celebration, considering that it is still in mourning until the day after Friday, including the implementation of health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Likewise, the traditional weapons salute that is usually performed at Hyde Park and the Tower of London to mark the Queen's birthday, did not exist this year, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday, April 21.

Queen Elizabeth II is said to be only in the castle which is traditionally passed with little or no ceremony. A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment, saying all family matters after the funeral would be private.

The birthday this time is different, due to the departure of Prince Philip, who married Queen Elizabeth in 1947. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the queen sits alone during Prince Philip's funeral services, which she describes as "strength and enduring".

Prince Philip's passing has cost Queen Elizabeth her closest and most trusted person, who has been by her side during her 69-year record-breaking reign.

Describing her love, Queen Elizabeth II hand-picked a variety of white flowers to place on Prince Philip's casket. Her last love letter is also inserted between the flowers.

Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip. (Wikimedia Commons / Myles Cullen)

Making matters even more difficult, Buckingham Palace has just faced one of the most thorny issues related to exposure to racism and neglect by grandchildren Prince Harry and Meghan.

The Queen's official birthday celebration which usually falls on the second Saturday in June, or Trooping the Color is also said to not be held this year.

During times of mourning, the Queen will also wear special lined paper, displaying her coat of arms in black. Usually, the emblem is in red. This differs from the British royal mourning tradition, reports People.

It is customary for the royal family to use black-edged paper during times of mourning. The use of black-edged writing paper during mourning was very popular in the 19th century. One example is Queen Victoria who used the paper after Prince Albert died in 1861.

This attitude was reportedly shown by the Queen as a form of respect for Prince Philip, who was known to be simple throughout his life. He even asked for the funeral to be held without a state procession and speech.

Born on April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street, central London, Queen Elizabeth grew up without expecting to become queen. His father, George VI, was appointed King to replace his older brother Edward VIII, who stepped down from the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson.

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne at the age of 25 in 1952, making her the longest-reigning leader of the British Empire, surpassing her great-grandmother Queen Victoria. She is also the queen of 15 Commonwealth of former British colonies, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.