Queen Elizabeth is indeed a pillar of strength as seen in her rare and recent public television address to comfort the British people amid the coronavirus pandemic. Her royal biographer said that seeing the Queen looking quite well was enough to inspire the people.
In an exclusive interview, author Robert Lacey said that the Queen's coronavirus speech brought a lump in his throat but in a good way. He said that the monarch's message was optimistic, sober and realistic without any false optimism.
Lacey also said that watching Queen Elizabeth on television showed her actual physical state and resilience, which was comforting and inspiring to the people. Earlier, there were a lot of concerns about Queen Elizabeth's health since she is 93 years old and vulnerable to coronavirus. She also had people close to her who were positive for COVID-19, such as Prince Charles and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Buckingham Palace, however, declined to say whether Queen Elizabeth was tested for COVID-19. What was clear was that the royals followed the guidelines set by the government against coronavirus threats.
As such, extra measures were taken into account in recording the monarch's televised speech. Apparently, there was only one camera operator who filmed the whole thing with Queen Elizabeth inside Windsor Castle's White Drawing Room.
The cameraman was also asked to wear a mask and gloves to ensure the Queen's safety and health. A skeleton crew, on the other hand, was set up in another room.
Queen Elizabeth said in her speech that this new challenge reminds her of the struggles families faced in the 1940s during the Second World War. Many were separated because of the growing conflict and as it is with social distancing and controlling the spread of the virus, families are also separated in different places today.
For instance, the Queen is in Windsor Castle with Prince Philip and only a handful of servants. Prince Charles is in Birkhall, Scotland, with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. Prince William and Kate Middleton are in Norfolk with their children. Prince Harry and Meghan are staying in their new home in Los Angeles.
The rest of the members of the royal family are not making public engagements and staying put in their estates until this pandemic subsides. Royal events like the Queen's birthday and other garden parties in Buckingham Palace are also no longer pushing through. Windsor Castle will be closed to the crowd until the end of May.
