The Queen Consort is due to pay a televised tribute to the Queen on Sunday, praising her for playing her own role for many years while in the “difficult position” of being a “lone woman” in a male-dominated world.
In pre-recorded words, he will also remember the late monarch’s “wonderful blue eyes” and say: “I will always remember his smile.”
The Queen Consort’s tribute to her mother-in-law will be broadcast shortly before the national minute of silence at 8pm.
Camilla will say: “She has been part of our lives forever. I’m 75 now and don’t remember anyone but the Queen being there. It must have been very difficult for her to be a lonely woman.
“There were no female prime ministers or presidents. She was the only one, so I think she cut her own role.”
Remembering the late monarch, Camilla will add: “He has these wonderful blue eyes, which when he smiles light up his whole face. I will always remember his smile. That smile is unforgettable.”
Two of the Queen’s granddaughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, also paid their own tributes to their grandmother before taking part in a vigil ceremony with her six other grandchildren, watching over her coffin at Westminster Hall.
The sisters, who are the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, said there had been “tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss for you, our beloved Queen and our beloved grandmother”.
His statement said: “We haven’t been able to put much into words since you left us all. We, like many, thought you would be here forever. And we all miss you so much.
“You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will treasure those lessons and memories forever.
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“For now dear grandma, all we want to say is thank you.”
Agencies contributed to this report