Daily Express

Just the two of us... quiet Christmas for Queen and Philip

- By Richard Palmer Royal Correspond­ent

THE Queen and Prince Philip will spend a quiet Christmas at Windsor Castle after Covid- 19 restrictio­ns ended hopes of a festive season at Sandringha­m.

It will be the first time since 1988 that Her Majesty, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, have not celebrated in Norfolk.

Some of the Royal Family may join them in the castle grounds but there will be no big gathering and it is likely they will have their Christmas Day meal without other relatives.

The Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, has also decided she will not attend church on Christmas Day to avoid the risk of attracting crowds and spreading coronaviru­s.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoma­n said: “Having considered all of the appropriat­e advice, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have decided that this year they will spend Christmas quietly in Windsor.”

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will spend Christmas Day at Highgrove, their country retreat near Tetbury in Gloucester­shire, but intend to see the Queen and Philip at some point. Camilla, 73, will also see her family but the meetings may be socially distanced and outside because of government rules restrictin­g each family to a Christmas bubble of no more than three households that cannot be swapped between December 23 and 27.

It is not clear yet how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children will spend Christmas.

The Queen and Philip’s decision surprised friends who thought they would want to follow the tradition of moving the court to Sandringha­m for the winter, just as they went to their Scottish retreat Balmoral in the summer.

They were presented with an option to do that and a plan to overcome a staff revolt at Sandringha­m – where key workers had refused to commit to isolating from their own families so that they could work for the Queen during her stay there.

But after considerin­g the various options they decided to remain in Berkshire.

It was their private decision and they did not consult Prime Minister Boris Johnson or his ministers.

The Queen, who was photograph­ed horse riding in Windsor yesterday, has spent much of this year at the 950- year- old royal fortress.

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 ?? Pictures: JIM BENNETT / KELVIN BRUCE; PA; GETTY ?? The Queen and her Head Groom Terry Pendry ride out yesterday morning
Pictures: JIM BENNETT / KELVIN BRUCE; PA; GETTY The Queen and her Head Groom Terry Pendry ride out yesterday morning
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 ??  ?? Castle at Christmas... The Queen and Prince Philip opted to remain at their 950- year- old royal fortress
Castle at Christmas... The Queen and Prince Philip opted to remain at their 950- year- old royal fortress

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