Queen was 'sending a message' by having Andrew escort her at Philip memorial
29 March 2022, 15:47 | Updated: 29 March 2022, 15:49
Shelagh Fogarty believes the Queen has shown she 'won't be bullied into hiding her children away' by having the Duke of York escort her to Prince Philip's memorial service.
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Around 1,800 people gathered in Westminster Abbey today for The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip's memorial service.
Heads were turned by The Queen's decision to be escorted by her son, Prince Andrew.
The Duke of York has had Royal duties stripped since the case of sexual abuse against him was thrown out after reaching a settlement in the region of £12 million with accuser Virginia Giuffre.
Read more: Queen stands by Andrew during his final official Royal outing
Shelagh Fogarty gave her view on the matter, thinking the Queen was well within her right to have her son accompany her to the service.
"She's certainly the queen of sending a message," she began.
Read more: William 'could have gone further' in condemning slavery, says Sir Keir Starmer
Read more: Queen's tears for beloved Philip: Emotional Royals say farewell at service
"I think the message she's sending is, 'he's taken his punishment, he's taken his medicine, he's paid up, I suppose, in brute terms, but he is still my son.'"
Shelagh pointed out that "he's lost all his public roles, those roles only came to him simply because he is the son of a monarch."
Ultimately, Shelagh believed that the Queen's thinking was: "He is still my son that I love."
"I think ok, that's acceptable to me, I think that's a good decision."
"In a way she won't be bullied into hiding her children away," she concluded.
