Princess Anne is grateful that she was able to personally say goodbye to her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, before her death last Thursday.
“I was lucky enough to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life,” the 72-year-old princess said in a statement.
“It was an honor and a privilege to accompany her on her last journeys. Witnessing the love and respect so many have shown on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.”
Anne also noted that she and the late Queen shared many “unique” memories, then took a moment to thank those who expressed her family’s shared “sense of loss.”
The Royal Family – who was Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s second child and only daughter – said her mother’s passing may have reminded her and the UK how much Her Majesty’s “presence and contribution to our national identity are taken for granted”.
“I am also so grateful for the support and understanding I have provided to my dear brother Charles as he takes on the additional responsibilities of The Monarch,” Anne wrote before concluding: “Thank you to my mother, the Queen. .”
Earlier this week, Anne also paid tribute to her mother by bowing to the late monarch’s coffin as it was taken to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
The Princess Royal took it upon herself to accompany the Queen’s coffin on its long journey to its final resting place in Windsor.
She also accompanied her mother’s coffin as it was transported to RAF Northolt via a Royal Air Force plane to Scotland this Tuesday.
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at the age of 96 after months of declining health.
In October 2021, she was hospitalized overnight and had to cancel several royal performances. Her Majesty then expressed her concern in February 2022 when she tested positive for COVID-19.
Aside from Anne, Queen Elizabeth II is survived by her two sons, Prince Andrew and King Charles III, who have taken over from his mother’s royal duties as head of the monarchy.