Though the queen seemed reluctant at first, prior to the U.K. issuing their lockdown, she left London for Windsor to quarantine in Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip.
Like many of us, the queen has been in isolation for weeks. However, she has been able to connect with her family through FaceTime and Zoom. Also, prior to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s COVID-19 hospitalization, the queen was also conducting virtual meetings with him. She also gave a rare television addressed to her country in an effort to showcase solidarity.
Though the queen is with Prince Philip during this time, the 94-year-old hasn’t been left to fend for herself. Instead, she and the prince are getting by with 22 royal staff members who are devoted to them.
While many people are taking it easy amid this pandemic, the queen hasn’t slowed down, even with a modified schedule. The queen believes, “if I stop I drop,” Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty Magazine told Sky News. “If you think about it, her entire life has been one of duty. Even from when she was a tiny child her day was very regulated.
So she will be very unused to this. She has probably been doing some of the things we have all been doing like going through draws and photo albums. Certainly, one thing is that she will have been kept busy.”
Though she is unable to be out and about, like Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Cambridges, and Sussexes, she is looking for ways to help in this crisis.
The queen really felt it was paramount to speak with the British public and to praise the National Health Service (NHS). However, her staff wanted to be extremely cautious about her health.
The last time the queen gave a public televised speech was in 2002 when the Queen Mother passed away. To address the U.K. and the Commonwealth amid the COVID-19 crisis, the queen only used one cameraman who wore protective gear and a mask while filming the address.
Everyone who was involved in getting the speech out adhered to strict six-feet social distancing guidelines. Therefore, the queen and her staff choose the spacious White Drawing Room a Windsor Castle to film her address.
At age 94 and 98 respectively, the royal couple needs a staff to help them get through the day. It appears that they have a total of 22 staffers with them at Windsor Castle.
According to The Sun, the 22 staffers are all vital to the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Though we don’t know all of the staffers’ roles, we do know that the staff includes, Queen Elizabeth’s “master of the household,” her private secretary and his assistants, and other members of her senior staff.
Unfortunately, these 22 staffers won’t be able to see their families for quite some time. “They won’t be seeing their families because no risks can be taken and they can’t go in and out,” an insider told The Sun. “The most important thing is to protect the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh from the virus. If something happened to them it doesn’t bear thinking about.”