UK Queen cancels all events at Buckingham Palace 'as a sensible precaution' amid COVID-19

On October 2, UK’s Buckingham Palace announced in a press release that all events scheduled to be held at Windsor Castle and the palace are now cancelled with due effect in midst of the rising caseload of the coronavirus in the UK. According to the statement, all large scale events that gather crowd were called off for the rest of the year under her majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s instructions. The royal family’s official website also mentioned that the events such as the receptions and investitures will not be held in the palace due to the pandemic. 

“In line with current government guidelines, and as a sensible precaution in the current circumstances, there will be no large scale events held at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle for the rest of this year,” the official statement from Buckingham Palace read.

Further, it stated that the Queen will return to the Windsor Castle in October and will resume Buckingham Palace’s Autumn programme of Audiences and engagements with adherence to the UK government’s advisory and health safety guidelines. The palace notified about the cancellation of the events of 2020, informing the attendees in advance that “Due to the large numbers of guests and recipients attending, it was not possible to find a way of safely delivering these events in the current circumstances.” It also mentioned that the palace staff will contact the recipients directly. 

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Autumn program with 'limited' engagement

Since the coronavirus peak hit the United Kingdom in the month of March 2020, the Buckingham Palace mostly called off the Investitures. The investees visit the Royal residence to witness an honour to an individual by The Queen, or a Member of the Royal Family with ‘insignia' or medals at a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace. Certificates called 'Warrants of Appointment' are also handed out in the presence of spectators. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic’s second wave now hitting the UK, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed to the local BBC sources that her majesty will resume finalization of the autumn program but with limited capacity and following the pandemic's guidelines which will now involve only a handful of audiences and engagements. 

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