The Queen was forced to break from a very personal tradition this weekend

(Image credit: Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Coronavirus has changed everything about life as we know it, with people now isolated to their homes in a third lockdown. Not exempt from this are the royal family, with the Mountbatten-Windsors also on lockdown and forced to cancel their plans.

This weekend, the Queen was forced to miss a very personal tradition due to the coronavirus.

6 February is a particularly important day for the monarch, marking the anniversary of her father King George VI’s death.

Every year, Queen Elizabeth spends the day in her Sandringham home, honouring her father by keeping the Christmas decorations up until then.

With the Queen and Prince Philip currently on lockdown in Windsor Castle however, they were reportedly forced to miss the annual tradition.

There have been few details about the Queen's plans at Windsor Castle in lockdown 3.0 but in the original lockdown it was reported that so much care was going into the Queen’s wellbeing that not even her close family members were allowed to see her, tended to by a 'skeleton staff of just eight’.

‘Obviously, the fewer people are in contact with each other, the better,’ a source explained via the Daily Mail. ‘No chances can be taken with the Queen’s safety in view of her and the Duke’s ages. But it’s also for the benefit of everyone who works at the Castle.’

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.