Doctors are reportedly on standby at Windsor Castle where Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth are currently staying. The royals are not taking any chances as both the Queen and her husband are high-risks individuals against the coronavirus pandemic.
According to royal expert Angela Mollard, there should be a royal medical team at Windsor since Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are "enormously vulnerable." The Duke of Edinburgh is especially at risk since he has pre-existing conditions and was hospitalized in London days before Christmas last year.
Prince Philip was photographed leaving the hospital for Sandringham on the eve of Christmas after a four-day stay. Buckingham Palace said that the duke sought treatment for a prior condition but he was generally doing well.
Mollard said that the Queen's staff likely includes the doctors while the rest of the workers' numbers are reduced. As a precautionary measure, the elderly royals will be limiting their encounters and interactions with people to prevent catching the coronavirus.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip moved to Windsor Castle earlier than scheduled as the outbreak is spreading fast in more populated places like London, where Buckingham Palace stands. The Queen was driven to her country estate on Thursday, with her dogs in tow. The duke was flown from Sandringham, where he was living in isolation at the Wood Farm since his retirement in 2017.
Her Majesty released a statement to urge the British people to pull together while the U.K. government advises major changes to everyone's current lifestyles and routines. The Queen said that they must all find a way to stay in touch with each other amid quarantines and lockdowns to slow down the spread of the deadly virus.
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth's staff changed much of her schedule in the coming weeks to avoid face-to-face meetings and handshakes. Her annual meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also be done over the phone as the Queen heeds to the government's advice to practice social distancing.
Buckingham Palace said, however, that the Queen's upcoming royal engagements will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. This comes as the health department said that those over 70 must avoid all travel and non-essential contacts in the foreseeable future.
Queen Elizabeth is turning 94 this April and will likely not have a big celebration in her official residence. Prince Philip, on the other hand, is turning 99 in June.
The UK has over 3,900 cases and 177 deaths since the outbreak.
