Youngest royals give the Queen reason to smile as she faces life as a widow

They are the two great-grandchildren that Prince Philip never got to meet.

Born just 40 days apart, Princess Eugenie and her cousin Zara Tindall paid special tribute to their grandfather before his death by naming their newborn sons after him.

Eugenie’s firstborn, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, born on February 9, and Zara’s third child, Lucas Philip Tindall, born on March 21, will forever bear the hallmark of their royal heritage.

For the Queen, as she faces life as a widow at nearly 95, the babies will bring welcome joy at a time of great sorrow.

Having not been able to see much of her elder grandchildren when they were growing up because she spent so much time overseas when the likes of William and Harry were young, the sovereign now relishes family time.

Over recent years, she has grown especially close to her youngest grandchildren, the Earl and Countess of Wessexes’ children, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn, who are regular visitors to Windsor Castle, living just 10 miles away at Bagshot Park.

Royal aides used to speak of stepping over tricycles and roller skates as the youngsters would spend precious weekends with “Granny and Grandpa”.

The arrival of no less than 10 great-grandchildren over the past decade has delighted the Queen – not least when many are already showing signs of sharing her passion for dogs and horses.

Her eldest grandchild Peter Phillips’s daughters, Savannah, 10, and Isla, eight, are already keen amateur riders, along with his sister Zara Tindall’s eldest daughter, Mia, seven.

Meanwhile, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, Prince Louis, two and the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ son, Archie, have all been brought up with dogs – with the Cambridge children said to enjoy spending time outdoors with “Gan Gan”.

Although the Queen is understandably sad to be separated from Archie, whom she has not seen since autumn 2019, as Harry revealed in an interview with James Corden, they remain in regular contact with Her Majesty sending the two-year-old a waffle maker for Christmas. The couple's second child, a daughter, is due as early as June.

Royal watchers believe it is only a matter of time before Princess Beatrice, who married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in September, starts a family, giving the Queen the prospect of yet another great-grandchild to look forward to.