Prince William and Kate Middleton Share Unseen Photo of Queen Elizabeth With Her Grandkids Before Her Death
Friday would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 97th birthday, and her grandson marked the occasion by sharing a never-before-seen photo of her. Prince William and Kate Middleton posted a picture on their official Instagram page of the late queen with their children and other relatives. It will be one of the last snapshots for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to remember their great-grandmother by.
"Today would have been Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth's 97th birthday," read the Instagram post. "This photograph – showing her with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – was taken at Balmoral last summer." The picture was apparently snapped by Middleton herself. Casual royal admirers might be able to pick out Prince William and Middleton's three children, but the others are a bit further from the international spotlight.
The two people in the back row of the photo are the queen's youngest grandchildren, 19-year-old Lady Louise Windsor and 15-year-old James, Earl of Wessex, according to a report by E! News. They are the children of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. The middle row included 9-year-old Prince George, 7-year-old Princess Charlotte, 4-year-old Prince Louis and their cousins, 11-year-old Isla Phillips and 4-year-old Lena Tindall.
Finally, sitting with the queen on the couch were 9-year-old Mia Tindall, 2-year-old Lucas Tindall and 12-year-old Savannah Phillips. The queen had 12 great-grandchildren in total when she passed away, but of course, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children live in the U.S. now. It's no surprise that they were missing from this photo.
Queen Elizabeth was the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the U.K., and her passing was momentous for the family and institution she shaped over the last seven decades. In the immediate aftermath of her death, Prince William issued a statement saying: "I have lost a grandmother, and while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all. My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love."
The royal family continues to honor the queen as it kicks off a new era under King Charles III. His official coronation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. It will be televised around the world.
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