"I felt I had lost something very precious," he wrote in a letter to his daughter after her marriage.
June 19th was a very special day for everyone who could spend time with their dads to honor them on Father's Day. But for many who only had their dad's memories to hold on to, it was a bittersweet day.
Queen Elizabeth II also remembered her late dad on father's day and to honor him, she even shared a sweet picture of them together. The British monarch, 96, shared the throwback image on the Royal Family's official Instagram account, in lieu of the annual holiday.
In the image taken back in 1946, the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, and her dad, King George VI, are seen looking at each other with the biggest smile on their faces as they stand in a garden, according to PEOPLE.
"Wishing all of our followers a very happy Father's Day," the caption of the post reads.
This heartfelt tribute by the Queen on father's day explains the close bond that she shared with her father. Queen Elizabeth II was the first child of the then Prince Albert, Duke of York, according to Good Housekeeping.
When King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to get married to Wallis Simpson, Prince Albert was forced to become King George VI in an official coronation on May 12, 1937. Now that he was king, he knew that one day his daughter would succeed him as Queen, so he began entrusting her with royal duties to train her better. At 18, she was named a "counselor of state," so that she could represent the U.K. when her father was abroad and unable to do so.
Eventually, Princess Elizabeth got married to Philip Mountbatten (now Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) in a November 1947 wedding. Following this, the King wrote a letter to his now-married daughter which proves just how close the two of them were.
An emotional video released by The Royal Family in 2015, shows the contents of George's never-before-seen letter.
"I was so proud and thrilled at having you so close to me on our long walk in Westminster Abbey. But when I handed your hand to the Archbishop, I felt I had lost something very precious. You were so calm and composed during the service and said your words with such conviction that I knew everything was alright," he wrote.
"I have watched you grow up all these years with pride under the skillful direction of Mummy, who, as you know, is the most marvelous person in the world in my eyes, and I can, I know, always count on you, and now Philip, to help us in our work. Your leaving us has left a great blank in our lives."
"But do remember that your old home is still yours and do come back to it as much and as often as possible. I can see that you are sublimely happy with Philip, which is right, but don't forget us, is the wish of your ever loving and devoted... Papa," he concluded the letter.
No matter how old you grow, for your father, you will always be their baby girl, and that is exactly the case with Queen Elizabeth and her father too!
References:
https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-shares-photo-with-king-george-vi-for-fathers-day/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a26133707/queen-elizabeth-ii-father-king-george-vi/
https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/667673662095405056
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Getty Images
