The Queen caught 'giggling' at Prince Philip in touching photo taken 18 years ago
12 April 2021, 10:16 | Updated: 12 April 2021, 11:02
A giggling photo of The Queen and Prince Philip from an event at Windsor Castle has gone viral.
Following the sad death of Prince Philip on Friday (April 9), a photo has gone viral of the Duke of Edinburgh enjoying a touching moment with the Queen.
In a sweet snap captured from an event at Windsor Castle in 2003, the Prince can be seen dressed in the Grenadier Guards uniform, while Queen Elizabeth giggles next to him.
While some thought Philip may have been playing a practical joke on his wife of 73 years, photographer Chris Young has now revealed a swarm of bees was behind the laughter.
Chris - who was working for the Press Association at the time - was the only photographer present at the review of the Grenadier Guard’s elite Queen’s company regiment.
Read More: A look back at Prince Philip and the Queen's 73 year marriage
He told the BBC how a swarm of bees caused chaos at the event, meaning a Royal beekeeper had to rush over to sort things out.
“Some of the guests were unsure as to whether they should move, but eventually everyone had to beat a retreat,” Chris explained.
"I recognised that it was a human moment. She was giggling like a little girl and he was laughing too.
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"I thought the reaction from both of them was pretty unique.”
He added: "Some of the guests were unsure as to whether they should move, but eventually everyone had to beat a retreat."
The next day, the candid shots made the front page of the newspapers due to the sweet moment he was able to capture.
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth married over 73 years ago in November 1947 after first meeting when Elizabeth was just 13.
The royal couple have four children together, as well as eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In a tribute to her late husband over the weekend, the Queen described Philip as her ‘strength and stay’.
She said: “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”
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