Queen Must Be Given ‘Time and Space to Grieve’, Says John Major

April 11, 2021

The Queen must be given the time and space to grieve for her husband Prince Philip, former prime minister Sir John Major has said.

In a heartfelt tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, Sir John said that he had been the person to whom the monarch could unburden herself when faced with “a sea of problems”.

The Duke’s death on Friday will leave “an enormous hole” in the life of the Queen, whose role as head of state places her in a “lonely position”, said the former PM.

And he told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show: “She has earned the right to have a period of privacy in which to grieve with her family.”

Sir John, who was appointed special guardian to princes William and Harry after the death of their mother Diana, got to know the Duke personally as they indulged their shared passion for cricket over many hours watching matches together.

He said that Philip had offered “astonishing” support in every way to the Queen during their 73 years of married life.

“Consider the position the Queen is in,” Sir John told Marr. “She is the head of state. That is a very lonely position in many ways

Source: Independent
Image Source: Getty Images