As Queen Elizabeth II is nearing her 94th birthday, many are expecting that she will cut down the number of her royal engagements and will pass it on to her heirs. The successors to the thrones, on the other hand, are planning their actions carefully so they wouldn't overshadow the Queen.
That happened in the recent royal engagements of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In their Royal Rota podcast, ITV News royal editor Chris Ship and producer Lizzie Robinson explained why they haven't talked about William and Kate's most recent activities. Apparently, it is to highlight the Queen's address to the nation.
"I think the timing was so important. If they had put out the Kate and William visit that day, there could have been a real clash...They didn't want anything to overshadow the Queen's message," Robinson said.
The two were referring to earlier engagements of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge before the Queen's message to the nation and the royal family canceled all their future engagements due to coronavirus. In her message, the Queen asked for solidarity in times of crisis, saying the UK is "entering a period of great concern and uncertainty." The monarch also lauded the scientists and medical and emergency staff who are working tirelessly during this time. The Queen, however, added that everyone has an important part to play during this difficult time.
Before Queen Elizabeth's message, Kate and William met the staff of the London Ambulance Centre in Croydon. The Duke of Cambridge also flew with the crew and met staff of London's Air Ambulance Charity while Kate hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the works of the charity Place2Be.
It has been known that Queen Elizabeth has a close relationship with William and Kate. There have been reports that the Queen has high regard to the Duchess of Cambridge who accompanied her in many royal events. In those public appearances, Meghan Markle's sister-in-law always subtly avoided overshadowing the monarch's presence.
Meanwhile, reports have it that Queen Elizabeth II is also preparing for a televised public address about the coronavirus pandemic as more people around her have contracted the disease. First was her son, Prince Charles, and most recently, one of her footmen has also tested positive for COVID-19.
The longest-reigning British monarch is, reportedly, preparing for her address for days and she might do it via Skype since she's self-isolating at Windsor Castle. However, the date for the address has not yet been confirmed.
