A
royal
aide
at
Buckingham
Palace
has
reportedly
tested
positive
for
the
coronavirus
while
Queen
Elizabeth
II
was
still
at
her
London
residence.
The
93-year-old
monarch
shifted
out
of
the
palace
to
Windsor
Castle
indefinitely
on
Thursday
as
a
"precaution" after
all
her
engagements
were
cancelled
and
reports
are
that
she
is
healthy.
According
to
UK
media
reports,
it
is
not
known
how
close
the
royal
aide
in
question
would
have
got
to
the
Queen
but
every
member
of
Royal
Household
staff
the
person
came
into
contact
with
has
since
been
placed
self-isolation.
"The
worker
tested
positive
before
the
Queen
left
for
Windsor.
But
the
Palace
has
500
members
of
staff
so,
like
any
workplace,
it's
not
inconceivable
it
would
be
affected
in
some
stage,"
"The
Sun" quoted
a
royal
source
as
saying.
The
aide,
who
has
not
been
named,
is
believed
to
have
taken
ill
and
tested
positive
for
the
deadly
virus
earlier
last
week.
Buckingham
Palace
has
declined
to
comment
on
the
reports
but
said
that
it
was
taking
all
necessary
steps
in
light
of
the
advisory
in
place
for
the
COVID-19
pandemic,
which
has
been
rapidly
spreading
in
the
UK
as
the
death
toll
rose
to
233
on
Saturday.
"We
wouldn't
comment
on
individual
members
of
staff.
In
line
with
the
appropriate
guidance
and
our
own
processes,
we
have
taken
the
necessary
actions
to
protect
all
employees
and
people
involved," a
palace
spokesperson
said.
There
are
some
reports
that
the
monarch
is
preparing
to
deliver
a
live
television
broadcast
in
the
coming
days
as
a
morale
boost
for
the
public
during
the
ongoing
crisis,
which
has
put
Britain
into
a
near
shutdown
with
all
social
venues
closed
indefinitely
and
people
advised
to
stay
indoors
and
follow
strict
social
distancing
rules.
Earlier
this
week,
the
Queen
had
issued
a
statement
of
support
and
called
on
people
to
find
new
ways
of
staying
in
touch
to
get
through
the
lockdown.
"Many
of
us
will
need
to
find
new
ways
of
staying
in
touch
with
each
other
and
making
sure
that
loved
ones
are
safe.
I
am
certain
we
are
up
to
that
challenge," read
the
Queen''s
statement,
which
said
that
she
and
the
royal
family
"stand
ready"
to
play
their
part.
"We
are
enormously
thankful
for
the
expertise
and
commitment
of
our
scientists,
medical
practitioners
and
emergency
and
public
services;
but
now
more
than
any
time
in
our
recent
past,
we
all
have
a
vitally
important
part
to
play
as
individuals
-
today
and
in
the
coming
days,
weeks
and
months,"
she
said.
The
Queen,
who
turns
94
on
April
21,
is
set
to
be
based
at
Windsor
Castle
in
south-east
England
with
her
98-year-old
husband
Prince
Philip
for
an
extended
period
following
consultation
with
her
medical
experts
and
the
UK
government.
Her
regular
"audiences"
with
Prime
Minister
Boris
Johnson
are
set
to
continue
for
now
but
Buckingham
Palace
said
that
as
a
"sensible
precaution
and
for
practical
reasons",
a
number
of
other
changes
are
being
made
to
the
rest
of
her
diary.