Royal Sorrow: Queen Elizabeth II Delivers Heartbreaking News Amid COVID-19
Accoridng to reports, Queen Elizabeth II will not return to Buckingham Palace any time soon amid the financial blow to the royal family caused by COVID-19.
Her Majesty the Queen has been in Windsor Castle for almost four months now alongside Prince Philip due to the pandemic. The senior royals have also spent both of their birthdays together while in quarantine.
It was previously reported that the couple, together with 22 other royal staff, are inside the quarantine zone known as the HMS Bubble. It is made as a precautionary measure to protect the Queen from the deadly virus.
With that, the 94-year-old monarch -- who has been able to carry out two nation addresses since the lockdown began -- has long been expected to remain in their royal residence for the foreseeable future.
Royal Family Facing Financial Blow
Like other major institutions, the British royal family has also been affected by the global pandemic and has been struggling to cope up financially, as numbers of tourists drop significantly due to the ongoing travel restriction.
To recall, multiple outlets recently mentioned that the Royal Collection Trust -- who manages major tourist hotspots like Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Queen's Galleries -- predicts a $37 million loss of income.
Since these royal residences are entirely funded by visitor income from admissions and related retail sales, the Royal Household had to make a hard decision and lay off hundreds of staff.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has posed by far the greatest challenge to Royal Collection Trust in the charity's history," a part of the statement from the charity read. "As an initial step, we will implement a pay freeze, begin a process of consultation about the reduction of employer pension contributions and offer a Voluntary Severance Program to employees."
Her Majesty The Queen Unlikely To Return To Buckingham Palace
Following this, one palace insider revealed that due to concerns regarding job cuts and the uncertainty of Buckingham Palace being reopened, the Queen will unlikely to return to London anytime soon.
"The word is Buckingham Palace is not being opened up any time soon, which has huge implications for staff. The Queen is planning to spend the summer in Balmoral as usual, but after that, it's thought she will probably return to Windsor Castle," a source told Express.co.uk.
Meanwhile, a spokesman from the palace revealed that just in case protocols regarding social distancing and non-essentials establishments have been lifted, the royal palaces are expected to only accommodate a low number of visitors on specific days.
This new arrangement will help the monarchy to "survive" and adapt for the coming years.
"Looking ahead, we believe that the longer-term impact of COVID-19 on tourism means we have to plan ahead to ensure we are well placed to survive in the coming years."
