The coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed the lives of millions of people all over the world, and the royal family was not exempted.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, have been placed in a bubble out of an abundance of caution.
To protect her Majesty, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, from the novel virus, staff members have been abiding by the many guidelines and regulations put in place by the British government.
These COVID-19 rules have made it hard for the very sociable Queen to be happy. Via Daily Mail, royal expert Camilla Tominey explained that the Queen decided to shorten her summer holiday because she was not enjoying herself, and she was often bored.
The couple spent six weeks vacationing in the midst of nature in Scotland and moved to their Aberdeenshire home and later traveled to Sandringham.
The restless Duke and the Queen continued to move around — they went to the Norfolk estate for a brief period. The pair eventually split, with her Majesty, now staying at Windsor Castle as Philip enjoys his retirement on Wood Farm.
The duo keeps moving around because their break “simply wasn’t as enjoyable as usual” because of the ongoing health crisis and all that it entails.
A source close to the royal family told Tominey that staff members and the royal clan often found themselves sitting around playing with their thumbs.
The reporter shared: “It was a bit tedious at times – not just for the staff, but the royals themselves. Balmoral can sometimes be a little hard going, but coronavirus made things even more difficult. There was quite a lot of time spent sat around, twiddling thumbs.”
Another reason for the pair’s boredom — the many canceled events. The insider explained: “Usual highlights including the annual Ghillies Ball, were all canceled due to the pandemic, meaning they had little to occupy themselves while off duty.”
She continued: “Everyone got pretty bored, and the Queen and the Duke went to Wood Farm simply for a change of scenery, more than anything else.”
As a working royal, the Queen plans to lead by example and will travel to Buckingham Palace for “working visits.”
Tominey revealed that the Queen will have small gatherings of six people and might be meeting with the prime minister in person.
An aide explained: “Buckingham Palace is a working palace and a symbol of working monarchy. The soft power of the Queen is never better demonstrated than when she is meeting foreign leaders and diplomats there.”
After months of rumors about abdication, the Queen seems eager to show where the real power is.
