ROYALLY ISOLATED
Charles and Camilla shutting down Clarence House. William and Kate cut off from Carole. The Queen and Philip watching TV with her rock ‘Big Paul’ at Windsor. Never has The Firm been so...
Springtime at Windsor is one of the most glorious seasons of the year. Daffodils carpet the grass around the Castle’s famous round tower; while, over towards Frogmore — now empty, following the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — primroses peek beneath the cherry trees.
Within the 950-year-old castle’s precincts — devoid of visitors since it was forced to shut to the public last week — this bucolic scene would normally be balm to the soul of the 93-year-old monarch, who relishes every moment she spends at her favourite residence.
But the prospect of months on end without any contact with her nearest and dearest — aside from her beloved prince philip, 98 — is not something Her majesty relishes.
Currently, the mail understands, the Queen is in ‘virtual’ self-isolation with a skeleton staff of just eight.
A source has told me this drastic action was taken last week when the government made clear the extent of the crisis, with about 100 staff told to go home to protect both the head of state and themselves.
not even close family members can see her, it is understood.
even the Duke of York, who lives a stone’s throw away on the Windsor estate, and prince edward and his wife, Sophie, who live in nearby Bagshot, haven’t seen her for days.
indeed, edward and his daughter, Lady Louise, were riding in Windsor great park at the weekend but did not set foot in the Queen’s apartments.
‘Obviously, the fewer people are in contact with each other, the better,’ said the insider.
‘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. every firm has been told to send as many of their staff home as possible, and the royal Family is no different.
‘the Queen is being looked after by her closest servants, while a couple of grooms and stable lads are looking after the horses. Like everywhere else, normal life is being put on hold.’
THe Queen and philip, who was helicoptered to Windsor from Sandringham last thursday, are being looked after by her two favourite staff: page of the Backstairs paul Whybrew and her personal adviser, Angela Kelly.
Known as ‘Big paul’ because years ago he towered over his former colleague ‘Little paul’ Burrell, mr Whybrew is so close to the Queen that he sometimes sits with her watching television.
the 61-year-old was responsible for bundling intruder michael Fagan out of the Queen’s bedroom when he broke into Buckingham palace and sat on her bed in 1982.
He also starred in the 2012 spoof film for the London Olympics, with the Queen and Daniel Craig.
A former royal servant says: ‘the Queen adores paul. He is the perfect calming presence to have around in such circumstances.’
Formidable Liverpool crane driver’s daughter Angela Kelly is known in palace circles as ‘AK47’, and is so close to the monarch that the Queen once told her ‘we could be sisters’.
‘the Queen couldn’t do without paul and Angela, and they are with her all the time,’ says one source.
‘they and the Duke’s valet, Dave Berwick, will be the only people coming into contact with them.’
As well as paul and Angela, the Queen is being served by a housemaid, chef and footman. philip also has a page, and head chauffeur, Andy Fitzgerald, has also been kept on, just in case.
Dr Anna Hemming, resident inhouse royal doctor from 2008 to 2014, says both will be closely monitored by their medical team.
‘the Queen has a brilliant team supporting her,’ she adds. ‘She won’t want to scare the people by disappearing, but she is doing what is best for herself, her family and the greater population.’
meanwhile, the prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall — aged 71 and 72 respectively — have moved to Birkhall, his 53,000-acre estate on royal Deeside. His London residence, Clarence House, has been closed down for at least three months.
the couple are adamantly not self-isolating (anyone over 70 is only being advised to stay at home), but they are taking the government’s advice seriously.
that means minimal face-to-face contact — just a skeleton staff and their police protection officers — and a strict two-metre rule.
the couple would be the first to concede that they are clearly in a far better position than most.
But even royals must make sacrifices in these difficult times.
For Camilla, it is not seeing her children and grandchildren that hurts the most. She has five grandchildren between her son, tom, and daughter, Laura. ‘gaga’, as the grandchildren call her, is a huge presence in their lives.
indeed, she may have a jewellery box of gems, but her proudest possession (aside from her engagement ring) is the inexpensive yet priceless black glasses case she recently showed me that three of her grandchildren gave her, with the inscription in gold: ‘gaga’s glasses … you’re the best.’
not surprisingly, given Charles’s legendary work ethic, he has a full diary to keep him busy, despite the enforced seclusion.
the prince’s staff have a ‘virtual office’ and now spend most morn
ings on conference calls about how ‘The Boss’ can use his position to help those most in need.
He is, I am told, in daily contact with his patronages and charitable associations to ensure they are managing and is writing to all 400 of them to offer assistance. On
March 21, he also penned letters to all of his Duchy of Cornwall tenants — which include some 600 resident letting and 700 agricultural tenancies — to ensure they have all the support they need.
Camilla has also been in contact with her charities and patronages, taking a particular interest in the issue of domestic violence.
Organisations working in the field have reported a spike in cases of abuse, unsurprising given the enforced proximity in which many are currently living.
‘She is in touch with the some of the organisations she has worked with and is closely looking at what she can do to help,’ says a source.
Another adds: ‘It’s early days and Their Royal Highnesses are very focused on how they can help their charities and the wider public. We can expect to see this is the coming days and weeks.’ As for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — the first members of the Royal Family, in view of their age, to visit frontline healthcare professionals — they have also relocated out of London, to Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, where there is space for Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, almost two, to run around.
But the children will clearly miss the presence of their hands-on maternal grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton.
Quite what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel about being away from the Royal Family at such a difficult time is anyone’s guess.
There have been reports Harry is ‘concerned’ about the Queen and his father catching coronavirus.
But so far the couple have limited themselves to an ‘inspirational’ quote on their Instagram account and the claim that they will share ‘accurate information and facts from trusted experts’ — whatever that means.
Their presence is, however, very much missed, according to one insider: ‘It’s a real shame that they aren’t here.’