How Queen Elizabeth Felt About Returning To Buckingham Palace For Jubilee Celebrations: Report

Queen Elizabeth was overcome with emotion when she returned to Buckingham Palace this week to kick off her four-day Platinum Jubilee festivities.

The 96-year-old monarch appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace Thursday with other senior working members of the royal family for Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade.

"The Queen felt nostalgic being back at Buckingham Palace yesterday. While Windsor Castle is now her primary residence, returning there with her family brought back so many fond memories," an unnamed source told Us Weekly.

Buckingham Palace was her official residence, but Queen Elizabeth moved to Windsor Castle full-time when pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020. She vacated the palace because it has a bigger staff, around 500 people, while the latter only has 100, reports said.

The Queen and her late husband Prince Philip spent their last moments together in the Windsor, England, estate before the latter passed away in April 2021 at age 99.

Earlier this year, the monarch made Windsor Castle her permanent home and main official residence.

To celebrate her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth was joined by her eldest son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, on the palace balcony Thursday. Prince William and Kate Middleton also made an appearance with their three children: Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle watched the event from the Major General's Office, alongside other members of the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who traveled to the U.K. with their son Archie, 3, and daughter, Lilibet, 11 months, also attended the Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London Friday.

The Queen pulled out of attending the service after experiencing "some discomfort" following Thursday's events. She has been dealing with mobility problems for months and is not expected to be present at all Jubilee events.

The Jubilee celebrations will culminate Sunday with the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, "a procession through the streets of London that will showcase iconic moments from the Queen's reign as well as highlight how society has changed over the past 70 years," according to People.

The pageant will involve around 10,000 people, including 2,750 military personnel, 2,500 members of the general public and more than 6,000 volunteers, performers and key workers.