The sad reason why the Queen and Prince Philip won't be making a fuss about their 70th wedding anniversary

Next month, the Queen and Prince Philip will mark 70 years since they got married in a regal ceremony watched by the world in Westminster Abbey.

While their golden and diamond wedding anniversaries maybe have been celebrated with pomp and fanfare, the couple have a rather emotional reason for not wishing to mark their platinum anniversary in the same way.

Many couples would use 70 years of marriage as a good opportunity to celebrate, however the Queen and Prince Philip are reportedly keen to keep the occasion fairly low key after a difficult year of personal loss.

It's been reported that a close friend of the couple has revealed that the royal couple are avoiding any public celebrations of the momentous milestone because they, 'don't want to be reminded of the many missing faces.'

'They feel they can't top the golden and diamond wedding anniversaries and don't particularly want to,' their close friend is alleged to have disclosed.

'They also don't want to be reminded of the many missing faces, as over the past 12 months the Queen has lost two life-long friends, Elizabeth Longman and her cousin Margaret Rhodes, as well as Prince Philip's cousin Countess Mountbatten.'

Instead of public celebrations, the royal couple are said to have decided to mark the special date, November 20th, with a private dinner for family and close friends.

The low-key dinner is likely to include the couple's four children, as well as their eight grandchildren. After recently relocating to Kensington Palace with Prince William and their children, it is also supposed that Kate Middleton who is currently pregnant with her third child, would also attend the private royal family dinner.

The incredible milestone will also be marked with limited edition double-headed platinum coins from the royal mint featuring both the Queen and Prince Philip.