Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (95) will not be spending Christmas and New Year’s Eve at her country house in Sandringham, eastern England, as usual. As dpa learned from palace circles today, the queen wants to stay in Windsor instead. But she is expecting a visit from the royal family.
The Palestinian News Agency quoted an unnamed source from the royal family as saying that it was a “personal decision that was taken after careful consideration and according to a precautionary approach.”
Because of the rapidly spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus in Great Britain, the Queen has already canceled her traditional family gathering before Christmas. “Many people’s plans for Christmas are in jeopardy,” a statement from the palace departments said.
First Christmas without Philip
The Queen’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and cousins usually gather for lunch at Buckingham Palace a week before Christmas. Last year’s family reunification was called off due to the pandemic. This year it was supposed to take place at Windsor Castle, the Sun newspaper reported.
The Queen usually spends the festive season at her country house at Sandringham House in eastern Norfolk, England. Here, too, it is usually visited by members of the immediate family. This year marks the first time since their wedding in 1947 that she has had to take the holidays without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April at the age of 99.
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