Sharjah24 – Reuters: Britain's Queen Elizabeth made her first public appearance in five months on Tuesday when she joined the royal family and other dignitaries at a memorial service to her "remarkable" husband Prince Philip, who died last year.
Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who was by his wife's side for more than seven decades, passed away at their Windsor Castle home in April, two months shy of his 100th birthday.
Only 30 mourners were able to attend his funeral service then due to strict coronavirus rules, which meant the queen poignantly sat alone as her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel of the castle.
Tuesday's service of thanksgiving at London's Westminster Abbey was a much bigger event, with the queen joining her son and heir, Prince Charles, his son William and wife Kate and other members of the royal family, including their children.
The 95-year-old monarch has been forced to cut back on her duties since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unspecified illness and was advised to rest, and there have been concerns about her health after she cancelled a number of planned engagements since then.
She quipped at an engagement in February that she could not move much, but on Tuesday arrived via a side entrance to the Abbey for her first appearance in public since falling ill, using a walking stick but otherwise appearing well.
Joining them in the congregation were foreign kings and queens, friends of the late duke, politicians including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, military figures and more than 500 representatives from charities and other organisations he championed.
Prince Harry, who has moved to live in the United States with his wife Meghan, did not attend the service following a disagreement with the government over security protection.
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