Family united in grief - how the Firm supported each other in days after Queen's death

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II not only broke the hearts of the Royal Family, but also the hearts of the nation.

As the news was made public that the late Queen had died at Balmoral in Scotland on September 8, 2022, the country went into a period of mourning.

Despite the extreme sadness and devastation felt by the Royal Family, the late queen’s children and grandchildren made public appearances and walkabouts to look at the tributes left for her just days after her death.

During these walkabouts, the family appeared to be acting as pillars of strength for each other, displaying a united front in their grief.

The first royals to step out were King Charles and Camilla as they looked at the floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace just a day after the late Queen’s death.

The couple, dressed in black, took time to speak to members of the public while taking in the sheer amount of flowers left by the palace gates. In one brief moment, Camilla was seen in a rare act of public affection as she laid a hand on the King’s back, a gesture which he then mirrored.

A day later on September 10, 2022, a number of senior royals dressed in black looked at the floral tributes left close to Balmoral, including Sophie, Prince Edward and Princess Anne.

As flowers lined the gates of the palace, the visibly grieving family comforted and supported each other as they spent time talking to members of the public, thanking everyone for their well wishes and looking at the sea of flowers left for the then-monarch.

Among the most visibly upset was then Countess of Wessex, Sophie, who was seen holding the hand of her daughter Lady Louise Windsor as they took in the scene before them. The royal was also seen fighting back tears as she knelt down to read some of the notes left for the late Queen, accompanied by Prince Andrew’s daughters Eugenie and Beatrice.

Zara Tindall, one of the late Queen’s granddaughters, was also seen to be emotional as she took in the tributes with the family. As well as spending time with her mother Princess Anne, Zara - who had bonded with her great grandmother over their love of horses - made sure to chat to every member of the family while looking at the flowers, acting as a pillar of strength to them all.

Elsewhere, other senior royals took part in equally emotional walkabouts, with some members of the public hoping the grief could reunite rifting brothers Prince William and Prince Harry.

This was after Prince William and Princess Kate invited Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to join them in looking at the tributes outside Windsor Castle on September 10.

The group - once known as the Fab Four - spent time talking to the crowds about the late Queen and how missed she will be.

Princess Kate even said how her children had been comforting her by telling her that the late Queen will be back with Prince Phillip, the children’s great grandpa, who died in 2021.

The walkabout lasted almost an hour as the weeping members of the public spoke to the royals and sent their condolences. The four have not been seen together since the late Queen’s funeral just a week later.

The family then reunited as a whole for the late Queen’s funeral, which was held at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022.

On the first anniversary of her death, members of the Royal Family did not publicly gather together to mark the occassion.

Instead, Princess Kate and Prince William laid some flowers in Wales before carrying out engagements.

It is believed that members of the Royal Family will remember the late Queen privately this Sunday on what is the second anniversary of her death.