All The Queen's Men

As Queen Elizabeth moves into the twilight of her reign without the support of her beloved husband, senior members of the royal family are stepping up to help her

- Nici De Wet

It's Been five months since Prince Philip died, leaving the queen without her constant companion of 73 years – her beloved strength and stay and the man who steered the royal family through many rocky waters.

But Her Majesty is made of stern stuff. She’s set aside her grief for the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away in April aged 99, and is gallantly continuing with her royal duties, the living embodiment of the famous motto, “Keep calm and carry on.”

Yet Queen Elizabeth is 95 and, formidable as she is, there’s no getting away from the fact she’s in her twilight years.

She may still be very much a working monarch but the queen’s punishing schedule has been scaled back. And as she faces a future without her husband, the other men in her life, the women by their sides and her only daughter are stepping up to support her.

Her second son, Prince Andrew (61), as well as her grandson Prince Harry (36) and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (40), may continue to bring heartache and concern to the queen, but other senior members of the family are rising to the occasion.

It’s part of a strategy for senior royals to help reduce the workload of the monarch, who’s now permanently based at Windsor Castle, a royal insider says.

“She’s relying on her family more and more.”

PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL

As the United Kingdom’s next monarch, Charles holds the most responsibility.