FILE PHOTO: Britain's Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, along with other members of the British royal family, watch as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team Red Arrows performs a flypast during Trooping the Colour parade in London, Britain June 8, 2019. (Photo: REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo)
Queen Elizabeth might be in isolation from the coronavirus in Windsor Castle but this will not stop the celebrations of her official birthday this coming June 13. Instead of the traditional Trooping the Colour parade, however, a palace spokesperson said that a mini-parade will take place to honor the monarch, who turned 94 years old.
The spokesperson said that the birthday parade in Windsor Castle will be small and brief, with respects to the government's guidelines to ensure everyone's health and safety. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Llewelyn-Usher will be taking charge of the military delegation that will be marching to Windsor Castle, along with some musicians from the Bands of the Household Division.
Details, however, are unclear if the Queen or any members of the royal family will be in Windsor to watch the ceremonies at a physically distant site. In traditional Trooping the Colour ceremonies, the royals and the Queen actually ride their horses to join the soldiers.
But with the threats of the coronavirus still killing and infecting thousands in the U.K., Buckingham Palace announced after Easter that the Queen's official birthday parade was confirmed as canceled in the streets of London. Usually, the event attracts thousands of participants and spectators but it would be too risky to mount the massive celebration this year. All the major events at the palace have also been shut down while the Queen will continue to isolate in Windsor with Prince Philip to safeguard their health against the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, before the mini-parade on June 13, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip will be celebrating a milestone event. On June 10, the Duke of Edinburgh will turn 99 years old and the day will, reportedly, be marked with a lunch at Windsor Castle, according to reports.
It will just be the Queen and her husband, as well as a small number of royal staff, celebrating this momentous year since large gatherings are still not allowed in the U.K. Royal family members, however, are expected to be making calls and video chats to their patriarch to wish him a happy birthday.
Prince Philip hasn't made any public appearances since he retired from his royal duties in 2017, except for royal family events like weddings. He also had to get medical attention following a car accident in January 2019 and a hospitalization in December of that same year.
Despite a bleak celebration this year, Buckingham Palace is, reportedly, starting to make plans for the Duke of Edinburgh's centenary birthday in 2021.
