Queen: Parents 'favoured English Duke over Philip' says Hicks

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The walk is likely to be the only time Her Majesty gets to see any of her family over the holiday weekend, except for her husband Philip. Usually the couple have members of the clan over to go to church together on Easter Sunday. This year, because of the pandemic, it is expected that just the Queen, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, will be present at the service.  It will most likely take place away from the cameras in the monarch’s private chapel inside Windsor Castle tomorrow morning. But, in the spirit of a monarchy that often says it has to be seen to be believed, Buckingham Palace issued two photos last night of the monarch and her heir.

They were pictured in the gardens at Frogmore House, a country house situated on the Frogmore Estate, within the Windsor borders.

Officials would not say when exactly the pictures were taken. But this is the second time Charles has been seen visiting his parents in a month. The last time he went to see Philip who was in hospital.

The Queen, who will be 95 on April 21, enjoys regular walks at Frogmore House, a royal residence since 1792.

It stands about half a mile south of the castle and includes in one corner of its grounds Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan’s five-bedroom former home.

Under the Government’s third lockdown rules, the Queen has been able to meet up with one family member outside for a walk in the gardens through the winter but after an easing of restrictions on March 29 she can now take advantage of the Rule of Six to meet a larger group of relatives outside.

However, this week the Daily Express revealed she had ruled out making a public appearance with her family at church on Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian calendar, even though many churches are open for worship.

Last year when churches were closed only three weeks after the first lockdown started, there was no choice and so instead, for the first time ever, she recorded an audio Easter message to help fortify the nation. But this year there will no message or public appearance.

A royal source said: “The overriding concern is to avoid crowds gathering. If we said she was going to church, the risk is that there would be a crowd.”

Normally the Queen is accompanied to St George’s Chapel inside the castle grounds by a large group of her family.

Due to Covid, St George’s does not officially open to the public until May 17.

The Queen can at least look forward to undertaking more in-person engagements after having her second Covid jab before further easing of restrictions.

She is expected to step up her public duties gradually in the coming weeks after spending most of the past year at Windsor Castle surrounded by a reduced retinue of aides dubbed HMS Bubble.

It will be a slow transformation, adhering to the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, meaning that the Queen may still have to focus on outdoor engagements in the coming weeks, mixed with virtual meetings on video.

Audiences with individuals may be possible sooner than investitures, which often involve more than 100 people. But it is likely to be after June 21 before the Queen can even contemplate anything like a return to normal.

Even then the Government is warning that we are all going to have to keep living our lives differently because of the continuing risks of the virus and particularly the danger from new variants.

Her Majesty had her first jab on January 9. Her second was due by the end of this week.

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