Post by Admin on Mar 17, 2020 15:22:20 GMT -4
With upcoming royal events being postponed or canceled all together due to the rising concerns of containing the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, a big question remains: will Trooping the Color still take place?
As the biggest royal celebration of the season approaches, palace officials are still taking everything into consideration, consulting with the U.K. government on how to proceed.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released a statement regarding changes to Queen Elizabeth‘s diary, including canceling all upcoming garden parties and details on whether or not Trooping the Color will still occur.
“Further announcements on Trooping the Color, the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the State Visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan will be made in due course, in consultation with Government,” the statement read.
The centerpiece of London’s season of festivities usually takes place in early June, when the country honors Queen Elizabeth’s birthday with the annual ceremony – and it’s one of the most spectacular royal events of the year.
The grand military parade is a national statement of pageantry to celebrate each British monarch’s official birthday, although Her Majesty’s actual birth date is April 21.
The royal family typically turns out in full force — with the men decked out in military medals and sashes and the women in fascinators – for the big day, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Scene-stealers Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, along with their almost 2-year-old Prince Louis will also be there as the royal family make their grand appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were still expected to attend despite having stepped back from royal duties on March 31.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the 93-year-old monarch was canceling all her garden parties due to the coronavirus pandemic. The three parties for hundreds of guests at Buckingham Palace each May are one of the highlights of the spring royal season. She also holds one at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, later in the spring.
The palace had been keeping all public engagements involving the royals under review. Officials said on Monday night, “We are studying the implications of the new Government advice and its impact on forthcoming events.”
The announcement comes after Queen Elizabeth‘s visit to Cheshire and Camden this month was canceled, as was her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s scheduled tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Cyprus and Jordan, due to the concerns of the rising coronavirus crisis.
More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus in the U.K., though the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 to 50,000, according to the BBC. Additionally, up to 55 people in the U.K. have died from the virus.
