Princess Charlotte Is Snuggled On Queen Elizabeth’s Lap In A Never-Before-Seen Photo

This story was originally published in December 2021, before the Queen’s death in September 2022.

The Queen may be the Head of State for no less than 14 countries, but she is also, of course, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother with photos of her family on display in her Buckingham Palace office. The photo, though blurry and slightly hidden by her purse, shows Her Majesty sitting with her late husband, Prince Philip, on the sofa, surrounded by smiling great-grandchildren. And even in a blurry photo, you can see just how happy she truly is to be with those little sweethearts.

On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth was at Windsor Castle on official duty, presenting concert organist Thomas Trotter with the Queen’s Medal for Music. Naturally, royal watchers took the opportunity to have a glimpse around in the background when photos of the presentation were shared, and they hit the jackpot: a photo on the queen’s desk, where she can be seen cuddling a baby Princess Charlotte. Beside her in the photo, Zara Tindall’s oldest daughter, Mia, can be seen with a big grin on her face. On her other side, Prince Philip sits with their great-grandchildren Isla and Savannah Phillips, daughters of Peter Phillips and granddaughters to Princess Anne. And standing behind the great group of smiling family is a sweet little Prince George, looking splendid in one of his signature cardigan and collared-shirt combinations.

This photo feels particularly poignant now, with Queen Elizabeth preparing to spend her first Christmas without her beloved husband. Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99 in April, leaving four children, eight grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren behind. This photo looks to have been taken around 2015, after the birth of Princess Charlotte in May of that year but before the arrival of several great-grandchildren who came after. That includes 3-year-old Prince Louis, youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry’s two children with wife Meghan Markle, 2-year-old Archie and 6-month-old Lilibet “Lili” Diana.