Here’s why the Queen’s latest appearance sparked concerns around her health

Marie Claire is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Coronavirus changed life as we know it, with the pandemic confining us to our homes and imposing social distancing rules on how we work and socialise.

Even the royal family was forced to follow suit, with the Queen spending most of this year isolating in her Windsor Castle home.

The Queen will not be returning to Buckingham Palace this year, but she will be journeying around the UK for royal outings, one of which took place this week, accompanying her grandson Prince William to Porton Down.

View this post on Instagram

The Queen, accompanied The Duke of Cambridge, this morning visited the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Porton Down, and formally opened the new Energetics Analysis Centre. The Energetics Analysis Centre is a state-of-the-art building from which hundreds of scientists conduct research and analysis to protect the UK against terrorist and criminal threats relating to explosives. The Queen and The Duke viewed a demonstration of a Forensic Explosives Investigation and met staff employed in Counter Terrorism and Security, as well as Dstl staff and members of the military involved in identifying the nerve agent and subsequent clear up of the Novichok incident of 2018. In recognition of their work The Duke presented the Firmin Sword of Peace to representatives of Headquarters South West (The regional Army command headquarters of the south west of England.) Her Majesty and His Royal Highness also spoke to scientists providing vital support to the UK response of the COVID-19 pandemic, working in analytic research areas and deploying microbiologists to NHS hospitals to increase testing capacities.

A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily) on Oct 15, 2020 at 4:54am PDT

‘The Queen, accompanied The Duke of Cambridge, this morning visited the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Porton Down, and formally opened the new Energetics Analysis Centre,’ captioned an Instagram post of photographs of the event.

The appearance proved to be controversial however, as neither Prince William nor the Queen were seen wearing masks, prompting concerns for their health.

‘No masks?’, commented one follower, while another wrote: ‘Please wear a mask around Her Majesty’.

‘Please wear masks! This is not a great example to set,’ wrote another royal fan.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson has weighed in on the controversy, announcing: ‘Specific advice has been sought from the medical household and relevant parties, and all necessary precautions taken, working closely with Dstl.’

Well, that’s that.