Queen Elizabeth was reportedly out and about at Balmoral with her three dogs over the weekend and joining her for the walk were the Wessex royals - the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, his wife, Sophie, and his children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn.
Photos from the Daily Mail showed the Queen indulging in the long walk with her lady-in-waiting and close friend, Susan Hussey. Her dogs Vulcan and Candy were also seen running about the vast greenery, while Queen Elizabeth stopped and rested in between her exercise.
A few minutes later, a service car closely followed Her Majesty, and the Wessex family alighted. The Earl and Countess of Wessex, along with their teenage kids, then joined the Queen for a hike, while still observing social distancing.
Typically, members of the royal family stay over at the Queen's castle for their summer visit. However, this year, Her Majesty's visitors, including members of the royal family, have been asked to stay at other properties and apartments in the estate as a matter of precaution against virus transmission. They were also advised that they may only see the Queen and Prince Philip during outside activities like walking, horse riding and picnics, as part of the new normal at Balmoral.
Queen Elizabeth's walk was the first time she has been seen outside of Balmoral since she arrived at her summer home with her husband on Aug. 3. Her Majesty was supposed to attend the local church service at Crathie Kirk on Sunday, but the Queen decided to skip church after royal courtiers were advised that a crowd might gather outside to see the royal.
Meanwhile, the Wessexes are the first of the royal family members to join the Queen in Balmoral. Her eldest son, Prince Charles, however, arrived at the estate on Aug. 1 and has been staying in his home in Birkhall. It's unclear if Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, have seen Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in person since their arrival.
Queen Elizabeth's only daughter, Princess Anne, usually visits Scotland during late August, after her annual boating trip with husband Sir Timothy Laurence. However, she has been with the Queen in person when her mother treated her to lunch at Windsor Castle before leaving for Balmoral.
The Queen's other son, Prince Andrew, is reportedly also planning to visit Balmoral this month. The Daily Express reported that he will be with with his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as well as his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
