The Tragic Death Of Queen Elizabeth's Close Friend Sir Timothy Colman
Queen Elizabeth II is in mourning once again. The queen lost her close friend, Sir Timothy Colman, on September 9 after he passed away aged 91 (via The Sun). Timothy is thought to have been a "close friend" of the monarch's and was essentially like family to her, as he was the husband of the queen's cousin, Lady Mary Colman, who died in January aged 88.
Timothy was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, which means he was the queen's representative in the area, allowing him to undertake royal visits and hand out awards on her behalf (via Evening Standard). He also lived a full life as a sailor in the Royal Navy before going on to be a successful businessman in the U.K. and Patron of the Arts.
A family member told The Sun of Timothy's passing, "He was a fount of knowledge, a huge influence on a number of people of all ages, who sought his wise counsel. He had a love and huge knowledge of the natural world, but, most importantly he loved his family. With his late wife Mary, he created the happiest of family homes at Bixley Manor."
How did Queen Elizabeth react to Sir Timothy Colman's death?
Queen Elizabeth II doesn't appear to have spoken publicly about the death of Sir Timothy Colman, though she's reported to be mourning her close friend (via Evening Standard). The late Lady Mary Coleman's husband was thought to be "a trusted influence in the queen's life" and also often visited her at her Sandringham estate.
The queen's relationship with Timothy stretched back several decades to around the 1950s. Timothy and Mary married in 1951, with The Sun reporting that the queen, the queen mother and the queen's sister, Princess Margaret, all attended the wedding.
There's no doubting 2021 has been a very tough year for the monarch. As well as having to continue cutting back on public appearances and stay indoors for much of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, plus the deaths of Mary and Timothy, the queen, of course, also suffered the loss of her husband, Prince Philip. Philip died on April 9, with the queen confirming the news with "deep sorrow" in a statement (via Mirror).
Queen Elizabeth has a little time to mourn before she returns to making public appearances. Per Hello!, after conducting numerous engagements via video or phone call due to the pandemic, she is expected to be seen on at Buckingham Palace on October 7 to launch The Queen's Baton Relay for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. She'll be joined by her son, Prince Edward.