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The Queen and Prince Philip spend wedding anniversary apart

The Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on Wednesday, pictured in 2007.
The Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images

After 72 years of marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip have shared more milestones than many couples could hope for over several lifetimes.

But despite their longevity as a couple and indisputable commitment to one another, the royals’ relationship is quite unlike others and they have, as of late, lived largely separate lives.

The duo spent their latest anniversary apart as the 93-year-old Monarch was busy with engagements while Prince Philip was recovering from ‘a wobble’ last month.

Royals’ time apart

In fact, the royals were in completely different parts of the country, as the Queen was in London while Philip was resting up on the Sandringham estate, more than 160km away.

The prince’s ill-health has also meant this distance has been a prolonged one, with The Sun reporting the couple has only seen each other twice in the past two months.

After spending the summer together at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Philip moved back to his cottage on the Sandringham Estate, while the Queen has been taking care of business at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen and Prince Philip at Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding in May.
The royal couple were last pictured together at Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding in May. Photo: Getty Images

“He has been living quietly at Sandringham, where he spends most of his time reading and pottering about,” a source told the publication.

Philip steps back

“Until recently he has been very active — carriage riding, fishing at Balmoral and driving around royal estates — although he no longer drives on public roads following his crash in January.

“His mind is as sharp as ever. However, the sad reality is that the Queen is more isolated. They are both making an extraordinary personal sacrifice for the country.”

But despite her husband’s absence since he retired from public duties in 2017, Her Majesty has been busy dealing with private family matters in the very public sphere.

After Meghan and Harry’s tumultuous year navigating their royal roles, now Prince Andrew has come under fire following his ‘car crash’ Epstein interview and subsequent stepping down from public duties.

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