Weeks after her concerning COVID-19 diagnosis, the Queen has returned to face-to-face engagements at Windsor Castle, where she is said to be making her permanent home.
The 95-year-old monarch flashed her winning smile as she met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, dressed in a charming blue patterned dress.
Wearing her signature pearl strand necklace and matching pearl earrings for the occasion, her only other accessory was the wedding ring that she’s continued to wear since Prince Philip’s death.
The meeting was a special one for the Queen and Trudeau, who first met more than 40 years ago when he was a child and his father was Canada’s Prime Minister.
Queen Elizabeth II meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
(Image: Getty)
“I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever,” he said of their reunion.
Photos from the engagement show the Queen looking in good spirits despite her recent health battle, but it was a small detail in the background that caught the attention of many royal watchers.
Traditionally, photos taken inside the Queen’s residences are littered with personal mementos and photos of the wider royal family, including her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
One such photo was spotted on a side table during Her Majesty’s latest meeting; a framed portrait of her and Philip with Prince George, Prince Louise, Princess Charlotte, as well as Peter Phillip’s daughters Savannah and Isla, and Zara and Mike Tindall’s children Lena and Mia.
A touching family portrait was visible on the Queen’s side table, along with a significant bouquet of flowers.
(Image: Getty)
The Duchess of Cambridge snapped this photo of the Queen and Prince Philip with their many great-grandchildren back in 2018.
(Image: Twitter)But it wasn’t the family portrait that caught viewers’ eyes – it was the large bouquet of flowers that sat beside them.
Nestled in a glass vase were tens of blooms in bright yellows and blues, the colours of Ukraine’s national flag, which has become a symbol of support for the nation amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
The bouquet has been viewed by many as a subtle symbol of support from the Queen to the people of Ukraine, many of whom are fleeing their home as it is bombarded by Russian troops.
Traditionally, the royal family is expected to remain neutral on political issues, but the Queen has already broken from tradition regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
WATCH: Russian leader puts nuclear forces on alert in Ukraine. Story continues after video.
It was revealed last week that she had donated a “generous sum” to charities supporting women and children fleeing the nation, though Buckingham Palace chose not to comment on the donation.
Meanwhile, other senior royals including Prince Charles and Prince William – both of whom will one day be king – have voiced their support for the people of Ukraine.
While the bouquet in the Queen’s Windsor home is not an outright declaration of Ukrainian solidarity, she has been known to send subtle messages through interior styling in the past, as well as through fashion and her choice of brooches.
As the Queen continues to return to more in-person engagements, and as the conflict continues in Ukraine, we may see her share more subtle signs that her heart is aching for the Ukrainian people.
