Queen and Duke of Edinburgh return to Balmoral for summer

Monarch and Prince Philip to leave Windsor Castle for the first time since coronavirus lockdown came into effect.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will take up residence at Balmoral in August.

The monarch and Prince Philip have decided to go ahead with their annual summer stay in the Highlands after spending the last four months at their Berkshire residence during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

It is the first time the 94-year-old Queen and Philip have travelled away from Windsor Castle since relocating from Buckingham Palace on March 19.

Buckingham Palace said the royal pair will make the 500-mile journey north in early August.

But the palace declined to give an exact date of departure.

A palace spokesman said: “All arrangements will be in line with the relevant guidelines and advice.”

The head of state and Philip, 99, have been staying at Windsor with a reduced household – dubbed HMS Bubble – for her safety for the past 18 weeks.

The Queen had long been expected to go ahead with her visit – one of her favourite parts of the year – if it proved safe and logistically possible.

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