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Families up and down the country are beginning to reunite after months of video calls and visits through windows sufficing for physical meetings. And with more lockdown restrictions easing in the coming weeks, more and more people are looking forward to potentially seeing their loved ones in person.

What is a support bubble?

A bubble in terms of the coronavirus pandemic is a group of people with whom you choose to have close physical contact.

It essentially means two households can become one, acting as if they lived together all along.

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, from June 13 single adults living alone or single parents where children are under 18 years of age were able to form support bubbles with another household.

However, for others, you are not permitted to meet anyone outside of your household in close proximity, instead you must observe social distancing guidelines.

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From July 4, the Government has announced new changes to the existing guidance regarding social distancing and support bubbles.

The new guidance explains how you can have close contact with people outside your household if you are in a support bubble with them from July 4.

In England, you can meet with people you do not live with in the following three situations from July 4:

• In any outdoor space groups of up to six people from different households can continue to meet while maintaining social distancing measures
• Single adult households can continue to form an exclusive ‘support bubble’ with one other household
• From July 4, you can meet in a group of two households (including your support bubble), in any location- public or private, indoors or outdoors.

The guidelines state two households can meet indoors while maintaining a social distance of one metre plus from July 4.

The changes mean families up and down the country are likely to meet up once again.

The Government guidance reads: “You can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors.

“You do not always have to meet with the same household – you can meet with different households at different times.

“However, it remains the case – even inside someone’s home – that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble.

“This change also does not affect the support you receive from your carers.”

It will be against the law to gather in groups larger than 30 people, except for a limited set of circumstances.

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The Queen and Prince Philip have spent the duration of lockdown together at Windsor Castle.

She has spent the time riding daily and spending time with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen has been seen on three occasions throughout lockdown, two video broadcasts and for a scaled-back Trooping the Colour ceremony.

A royal source told Vanity Fair: “One of the nicest things for the Queen is that she is getting to spend more time with her husband than she usually would… They have dinner together in the evenings and I imagine the Queen is of the generation where she dresses for dinner. She is riding out every day and is making the most of this time.”

In normal circumstances around this time of year, the Queen would be at Balmoral, Scotland, for the summer holidays.

Scotland is considered to be one of the Queen’s favourite places in the world.

Speaking on an ITV documentary, Princess Eugenie said: “Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time.

“It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run.”

Throughout the summer, the Queen invites members of the Royal Family including Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Cambridges and the Wessexes to visit her over the summer period.

Once lockdown restrictions are eased on July 4, the Queen may opt to migrate from her lockdown homestead of Windsor Castle up to Balmoral.

Once she arrives, it is possible several members of the Royal Family may travel up to visit her.

However, the most likely bubble companions for the Queen and Prince Philip will be the heir apparent Prince Charles and his wife Camilla.

Charles and Camilla have spent most of lockdown at their Scottish resident, Birkhall, but have since retired to their London home Clarence House.

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