Great Britain: Queen Elizabeth II stays in Windsor for Christmas, one before 1980 – International

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will be spending Christmas at Windsor Castle this year, for the first time in more than 30 years, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday.

The royal couple traditionally spend the holiday season at their residence in Sandringham, Norfolk (eastern England), where they are joined by other family members.

But faced with the crisis caused by the coronairus, the 94-year-old sovereign and her 99-year-old husband, in fragile health, have decided to stay in their residence on the outskirts of London.

“After considering all appropriate advice, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have decided to spend Christmas in peace this year in Windsor,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said Tuesday.

During the first wave of the new coronavirus, the sovereign and her husband suspended their public events and limited themselves to being isolated in their Windsor residence. Then they went to Balmoral Castle in the summer, following the tradition.

With over 59,000 deaths and 1.5 million coronavirus cases, the UK is the most affected pandemic country in Europe.

Prince Philip, who turned 99 in June, has been in poor health for several years. In December 2019, he was hospitalized for four nights in a London hospital due to “pre-existing health problems” and finally joined the Queen in Norfolk only on 24 December.

While the British government last week announced a slight easing of Christmas measures, allowing up to three families to reunite for five days between 23-27 December, Buckingham Palace has not clarified whether the rest of the royal family, including the the Queen’s children and grandchildren – would go to Windsor.

Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son, suffered from mild symptoms of Covid-19 in April, as did Prince William.