At 94, Queen Elizabeth's health and safety, amid the coronavirus pandemic, has been a cause of concern for world. But Her Majesty is proving just how strong and resilient she is when she was seen in public for the first time since this crisis started.
The Royal Family social media accounts recently shared photos of Queen Elizabeth doing her favorite activity -- horseback riding. According to CNN, the Queen was spotted riding around Home Park near her Windsor Castle home in the weekend, with her favorite horse, Balmoral Fern.
Reports stated that the Queen regularly rides around Windsor since her isolation with husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, along with a small number of royal aides. However, as the U.K. eased its coronavirus lockdown measures this week, Buckingham Palace indulged the Press Association to check up on the Queen, who is looking fit and healthy for someone her age.
There were concerns that the Queen may have contracted the virus because she had royal engagements in March, at a time when the COVID-19 scare was surfacing. She had several close calls with the disease because her son, Prince Charles, and the Prime Minister Boris Johnson both had the virus and they were with the Queen in early March as well.
However, the monarch's televised appearances, in late March and early April, have pacified fears she might be sick. Royal family members also issued a statement that they have been ensuring the Queen and Prince Philip's protection against the virus.
Buckingham Palace canceled the Queen's royal engagements and in-person meetings for the rest of the summer. Instead, Queen Elizabeth has been making video conferencing calls to key officials in government and the charities she supports to continue her work.
There are, reportedly, about 22 to 24 royal aides working at Windsor to assist Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. These staff members follow a strict protocol that includes self-isolation. They are also not allowed to go home to their families if they are on the clock.
According to reports, royal aides are on shifting schedules in Windsor. They are asked to take three weeks off to isolate and ensure that they are not virus carriers before they return to work at the Queen's castle.
An insider said that the most important thing is to guarantee the protection of the old royals from the virus. It would be unbearable for the U.K. if something happened to Queen Elizabeth.
