The Queen Has Taken the "Only Slight Rest" of Her Life During Quarantine, According to a Royal Source

According to a royal source, lockdown has represented the only "slight rest" the Queen has taken during her life.

  • Since she's been in lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II has been enjoying what might just be the first real break she's taken in her nearly 70 years on the throne.
  • "It is possible this is the only slight rest she's ever had in her whole life," a source close to the Queen told People of the time she's been forced to take off during the pandemic. "She is well. She's in good fettle."
  • In lockdown, the Queen has been spending time with her husband, Prince Philip, in Windsor.

The Queen is enjoying a break for the first time in...well, ever.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, the monarch has been forced to cut back on the busy schedule she'd maintained for decades, and royal sources say it's actually been a good thing.

"In her twilight years, I'm sure it is quite lovely not to have the pressure" of a packed scheduled, a source described as a royal insider told People.

Queen Elizabeth II isn't known for taking vacations or even short breaks and famously puts the monarchy and its needs ahead of her personal life (as anyone who has seen The Crown knows). 

"It is possible this is the only slight rest she's ever had in her whole life," a source close to the Queen added. "She is well. She's in good fettle."

During lockdown, the Queen has been spending time with her husband, Prince Philip, at their residence in Windsor. It's marked a happy change of pace for the couple, who have spent a lot of time apart in the past few years. Following his retirement from public life in 2017, Philip has spent most of his time at Wood Farm near Sandringham even as the Queen continued to live and work in London for much of the year. In lockdown, People reports, the couple (who have been together for an impressive 73 years) have had dinner together every night. 

new york, ny september 11 actress meghan markle attends the annual charity day hosted by cantor fitzgerald and bgc at the cantor fitzgerald office on september 11, 2013 in new york, united states photo by janette pellegrinigetty images for cantor fitzgerald

(Image credit: Janette Pellegrini)
Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.