Queen’s 95th birthday message as photo shared by Buckingham Palace

The Queen shared an emotional message as she spends her first birthday without husband Philip in 70 years, with the Palace revealing a sweet photo.

The Queen has spoken of her “great sadness” in an emotional message to the world as she spends her first birthday without her husband Prince Philip in 70 years.

The 95-year-old said she had received many messages of good wishes, and that she and the royal family were “deeply touched” by the “support and kindness” of the public.

She said that as the family grieved, it had been “a comfort to us all to see and hear the tributes paid to my husband” as she offered her thanks.

The Queen’s message to people across the world who have sent tributes and messages of condolence following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh. pic.twitter.com/1apW7s1zXS

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 21, 2021

It came as Buckingham Palace shared an incredibly sweet photo of Queen Elizabeth II for her birthday.

In the photo, the Queen can be seen smiling widely.

“Today is The Queen’s 95th birthday,” read the caption. “The Queen was born at 2.40am on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

“This year Her Majesty remains at Windsor Castle, during a period of Royal Mourning following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh.”

The palace shared this adorable photo of the Queen on her birthday. Picture: Instagram

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The uplifting image comes after the Queen laid her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, to rest on Saturday.

The British royal will spend her birthday surrounded by a small number of staff at Windsor.

Plans for a new portrait of the monarch are set to be postponed as she is still in mourning over the loss of her husband.

The Daily Mail reports the sovereign is likely to spend her birthday driving herself to one of her favourite parts of the estate, Frogmore, to walk her new puppies, Fergus, a dorgi, and corgi Muick.

Queen Elizabeth II faces her first birthday without her husband Prince Philip in 70 years. Picture: AFP

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According to the Ministry of Defence, traditional gun salutes that would typically mark the special day in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London have been cancelled.

It is reported that the Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie are likely to visit the Queen. She will receive calls from the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and others.

Prince Harry, however, did not stay in the UK for the Queen’s birthday but swiftly returned to the US after his grandfather’s funeral to reunite with pregnant wife Meghan Markle and their two-year-old son Archie.

The Queen will return back to duty the following day. Aides are working on low-key engagements from Windsor such as video calls.

Her first outside public engagement will be the state opening of Parliament on May 11, which she will attend with Prince Charles.