The brand new royal photo captured the Duke of Edenborough and the Queen beaming over a colorful homemade card with a grand number 73 plastered on the font. The masterpiece was created by the Queen’s great-grandchildren Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two. However, Archie Mountbatten Windsor growing up in the US with parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meant he was absent from the homemade project.
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Fans were quick to pick up on the young royal’s absence, fearing he is missing out.
One user tweeted: “I wish Archie was home to help his cousins make a card, but I digress”.
Another upset fan voiced their grievances in response to a tweet by royal expert and Finding Freedom author Omid Scobie.
Mr Scobie tweeted: “Happy 73rd anniversary! In a new photo by @ChrisJack_Getty The Queen (wearing the Chrysanthemum brooch she wore on their honeymoon) and Prince Philip can be seen in Windsor Castle’s Oak Room enjoying a card from George, Charlotte and Louis alongside letters from well-wishers.”
Royal heartbreak: Archie left out as cousins gift Queen and Prince Philip anniversary card (Image: SAVETHECHILDREN)
Royal fans were delighted to see the Queen and Prince Philip opening a sweet anniversary card (Image: GETTY)
One user responded: “And none from Archie?”
Other users snapped back, with one saying: “Archie’s busy. Anything else?”
A second user said: “They still would mention it if he did !!”
The photograph released on Thursday night ahead of their anniversary on Friday shows the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh sitting on a sofa in Windsor Castle’s Oak Room.
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The card was made by Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two (Image: GETTY)
The royals are seen reading the special message from future king George and his siblings.
The picture, taken by Chris Jackson from Getty Images, also shows a small pile of anniversary cards and letters sent by well-wishers on a nearby table.
However, it is unknown exactly who these are from.
The Queen, 94, was a 21-year-old princess when she married the Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey on November 20 1947.
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The children made a colorful homemade card with a grand number 73 plastered on the front (Image: GETTY)
Their enduring relationship has lasted the longest of any British sovereign and Philip has been at the Queen’s side throughout the decades, supporting her as she devoted herself to her role as head of state.
The Queen and the Duke, who has now retired from public duties, are spending the lockdown in England isolating at Windsor Castle, and anniversary celebrations are expected to be low-key.
They have four children together, including Prince Charles, who is first in line to the throne and recently celebrated his 72nd birthday.
They also share Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Line of succession to the throne (Image: EXPRESS)
Te Queen and Prince Philip’s long marriage is seen as a key source of stability within the monarchy.
Together they have celebrated the silver, golden and diamond jubilees of the Queen’s reign, and faced ups and downs over the years including the breakdown of three of their four children’s marriages.
The monarch most recently released plans for her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
These plans include a four-day extravaganza, where the public will get an extra bank holiday in June, while the May bank holiday will also be moved to be in the same week producing a four-day weekend.
Fans were quick to pick up on the young royal’s absence, fearing he is missing out (Image: SAVETHECHILDREN)
The Queen will be 96 years old when she reaches the first ever Platinum Jubilee for a British monarch.
One royal expert even claimed this “puts to bed” the argument that the Queen will step aside when she is 95.
Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers said: “This finally puts to bed the rumours that have been written about for 20 years, that the Queen is going to step down when she’s 95.”
He added that Chris Ship at ITV pointed out that, even if she stepped aside she would still be a Queen in a regency, which he said is “technically true”.