But I know his support and unique sense of humour will remain as strong as ever, as we enjoy spending time this Christmas with our family and look forward to welcoming new members into it next year.
Like the expert carriage driver that he was, he helped to steer the royal family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life.
As we have looked on over the decades that almost set the tone for this idea that her reign should be something that needed to be seen to be believed that they shouldn't live in a gilded cage.
Today, at Windsor Castle, the Queen is riding alongside one of the few people who knows as much about royal horses as she does, her head groom, Terry Pendry.
From Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, a vast procession of 4000 ceremonial troops accompanied the royals into a new era, a new Britain, ruled by its newly crowned monarch.