Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have shared an emotional tribute to their 'dearest Grannie' as they thanked the Queen for her service.
The royal sisters had an incredibly close relationship with their grandmother and it was highlighted today as they praised her for lessons she taught them and the the precious memories they will hold of her.
Both looked tearful last week as they read tributes to the Queen at Balmoral left by well-wishers, the Mirror reports.
Now, in a new statement, they said: "We've not been able to put much into words since you left us all.
"There have been tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss for you, our beloved Queen and our beloved Grannie.
"We, like many, thought you'd be here forever. And we all miss you terribly.
"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 cherish those lessons and memories forever.
"For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you. Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy. You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.
"The world mourns you and the tributes would really make you smile. They are all too true of the remarkable leader you are.
"We know that dear Uncle Charles, the King, will continue to lead in your example as he too has dedicated his life to service.
"God save the King. With our love, Beatrice and Eugenie."
Last night, the Princesses looked emotional and close to tears at a vigil around the Queen's coffin as they accompanied family.
The King was accompanied by Camilla, Queen Consort, as well as Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Prince Andrew, 62, was also joined by siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward for the sombre event at Westminster Hall.
Beatrice was comforted by Edoardo Mozzi while Eugenie had Jack Brooksbank by her side.
Last week accompanied their father, their aunt, the Princess Royal, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their cousins Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall and Lady Louise Windsor, to view the tributes outside Balmoral.
In poignant scene they were seen pausing to look at the dozens of floral tributes have left near the church.
The sad death of the Queen have brought about an important new role for Princess Beatrice.
Before the Queen died, Charles, William, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew were Counsellors of State, which meant they could step in if the monarch was unable to perform her duties "due to illness or absence abroad".
By law, Counsellors of State are the top four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21 as well as the monarch's spouse.
Now Charles is King, it now means the Counsellors of State are William, Harry, Andrew, Queen Consort Camilla and the next person in line over the age of 21, which is Beatrice.
According the the Royal Family website : "Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, for example, attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom."
The sisters, who are daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, were one of the monarch's eight great grand-children.
The pair were to be very close to the Queen - and only lived a short drive from Windsor Castle.
In a Hello interview Beatrice, whose middle name is Elizabeth, once said: "I find my grandmother inspiring every day because her overwhelming sense of duty is linked with an overwhelming curiosity.
“Every day she’s curious to learn something new, to do something new ... she goes out into the community with a genuine curiosity as to how she can be a force for good in the world."
However, the biggest indication of the sweet bond between Beatrice and the Queen came in July 2020 - on her wedding day.
Beatrice wed husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a scaled back ceremony due to strict Covid restrictions at the time.
The Queen and Prince Philip were among the small number of guests - and for the big day, Beatrice wore a dress straight from the Queen's wardrobe.
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