Queen's solitude at Windsor Castle after sitting alone at Prince Philip's funeral revealed

The Queen spent time by herself to reflect after she returned from Prince Philip's funeral last April, according to her personal assistant.

• The Queen was left 'alone with her own thoughts' after Prince Philip's funeral last April, her personal assistant revealed. 
• Her Majesty did not say anything to royal staff in the hours after the St. George's Chapel service, choosing to reflect on the death of her beloved husband by herself. 
• In other royal news, Princess Charlotte resembles Queen at Easter Sunday service.
  

The Queen was left 'alone' to quietly reflect after Prince Philip's funeral, her personal assistant has revealed. 

Her Majesty said a final goodbye to her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, just over a year ago, marking the end of 73 years of marriage. 

Prince Philip died 'peacefully' aged 99 on April 9 at Windsor Castle, where he and the monarch had spent much of the COVID-19 pandemic. His funeral at St. George's Chapel was drastically scaled back to adhere to social distancing restrictions, with just 30 guests permitted to pay their respects in person. 

The Queen was also forced to sit alone, due to the UK's lockdown rules stating that those attending a funeral must stay at least two meters apart from anyone outside of their household. 

It has now been revealed that the 95-year-old spent more time by herself after the funeral. 

Angela Kelly, personal assistant and senior dresser to Her Majesty, has recalled how her royal boss went into voluntary self-isolation upon returning from the service. 

"I helped her off with her coat and hat and no words were spoken," she writes in the revised version of her 2019 book, The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, shared exclusively with HELLO! magazine. 

"The Queen then walked to her sitting room, closed the door behind her, and she was alone with her own thoughts." 

Angela, who has served Her Majesty since 2002 and was one of few people in the 'HMS' bubble at Windsor Castle, also described the somber moment when Prince Philip departed the Berkshire residence for the last time. 

"The Queen's dressers, pages, chefs, housemaids, footmen and Castle attendants all stood to attention as The Duke of Edinburgh's coffin was carefully placed onto the Land Rover that he had specially designed for the day," the 63-year-old writes. 

"You could see the expression of sadness on everyone's faces to see such a great and well-respected man making his last journey. Their thoughts, I'm sure, were for The Queen, knowing she had lost a husband and a best friend. The nation shared the grief and their hearts went out to Her Majesty."