Queen Elizabeth II is now holed up at her Windsor estate, along with her husband, Prince Philip, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As it remains to be seen when she will return to do her royal duties, her staff makes sure that she is safe at the castle from the threat of the coronavirus. So, how they do it?
Just like many people today, Queen Elizabeth's servants are away from their family. However, it is not because they like to keep thems safe from the virus, but they are doing their bests to make sure Her Majesty is safe.
According to The Sun, the Queen's closest servants work three-week shifts in isolation away from their families. About 24 of her staff can spend two weeks at their home. After that, they will spend a week in quarantine and will be tested for COVID-19 before they can get back to work.
As the virus continuously grapples the United Kingdom, the royal lockdown may extend indefinitely to keep the monarch and Prince Philip safe. So, the 94-year-old leader of the Commonwealth has a team of hand-picked staff around her that will make sure she is safe from contracting the disease.
The team is composed of 24 people that will be split into two to work "three weeks on and three weeks off." They all have to undergo the COVID-19 test, and their temperatures are monitored to make sure no one is sick before they can start their three-week shift.
Former Royal Navy officer Tony Johnstone-Burt, the Master of the Household, called Queen Elizabeth's tight ring of protection as HMS Bubble. From 22 staff, they added two more and likened it to a long deployment at sea when sailors needed to be separated from their families.
The royal aides are also now preparing to keep Her Royal Highness in isolation until the COVID-19 threat eases. A source revealed that they could never take any chances with her and Prince Philip's health. With the risk, it is quite hard to predict when will it be safe for her to return to work again.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip moved to Windsor Castle in March when the U.K. went into lockdown. Although she is self-isolating, she is continuously working remotely, Hello! Magazine noted. She is even continuing her weekly audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson through phone calls, giving speeches, and addressing the nation from the comfort of her home.
