Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are both high risks individuals to the coronavirus due to their age. At 94 and 99 years old, respectively, they are expected to wear a face mask to protect themselves from contracting the virus while staying at their summer estate in Balmoral.
However, reports cited that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are ditching the protective face covering for one simple reason. They have a strict and thorough staff that enforces the protocol that ensures their health and safety. The staff members are also in small numbers so they are confident that the vulnerable royals won't need face protective covering anymore.
Sources, also, said that Queen Elizabeth wants her summer in Balmoral to go as "normal" as possible and wearing a face mask takes that normalcy away. However, Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh also understand that they have to follow the advice of medical experts and the government, both in England and Scotland.
The royal couple plan to enjoy their summer activities outdoors while observing social distancing from their staff and any visitors. The royals' visitors won't also be allowed to stay in Balmoral, even if they are family, to lower the chances of transmission.
The lockdown rules in the U.K. were relaxed in June, allowing travels and small meetings. But, the staff members at Balmoral remain under a bubble and are only allowed to enter the castle following a two-week quarantine. They are also prevented from going out of the estate unless to return home to their families following their two-week work shift.
The same health and safety procedures from Windsor have been adapted in Balmoral. The royal staff in Windsor, where the Queen and Prince Philip isolated for almost five months, also didn't need to wear masks.
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth decided to skip in-person church services on her first week in Scotland. According to The Sun, there were concerns of a risk since the Queen could potentially be exposed in a crowd of church-goers.
The church also requires all people attending to wear a face mask, including the minister. Since she prefers not to wear a mask, the Queen, reportedly, heard church services through live streaming.
Several years ago, royal courtiers established safety protocols for the royals in the event of a pandemic. They were going to be isolated at the HSM Britannia, the royal yacht, off the coast of Scotland. However, HSM Britannia was no longer commissioned since 1997. It's now moored as a tourist destination in Edinburgh.
