Every Royal Event Canceled or Postponed Due to the Coronavirus Outbreak
Queen Elizabeth and the royal family are taking coronavirus concerns seriously — even if it means making major changes to their annual schedule, including some of their favorite events
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Trooping the Colour
The most royal celebration of the year — a biggest annual public gathering of the royal family — has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Buckingham Palace announced that Trooping the Colour, held in June to celebrate the Queen's birthday with a military parade and flypast, "will not go ahead in its traditional form."
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Palace Garden Parties
The outdoor parties for hundreds of guests at Buckingham Palace each May are one of the highlights of the spring royal season — but they won't be happening this year.
Around 30,000 people — dressed to the nines, with men in morning suits and top hats and women in whimsical fascinators — attend the events, which celebrate all areas of public life and British society.
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Maundy Service
Each year on the Thursday before Easter, the monarch participates in a tradition dating back to the 13th century: the distribution of Maundy money. However, the annual event has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.
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Chelsea Flower Show
Another staple of the season, the Chelsea Flower Show, was also called off this year. The show, where Kate Middleton last year showed an interactive garden to highlight her campaign on outside play for children and families, is attended by the Queen and other members of the family on the first day.
The festival of flowers was set to run from May 19 to 23.
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Invictus Games
Prince Harry's Invictus Games won't go on as planned. The event, scheduled to take place this May in The Netherlands, has been postponed until May or June 2021 due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
"This was an incredibly difficult decision for all of us to have to make," Harry said in a personal video. "And I'm so grateful for everybody that's worked so hard over the past couple of weeks to try to find any alternative to try and carry on these Games in a different way — in a safe way."
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Royal Windsor Horse Show
Queen Elizabeth is a known horse lover, so it's no surprise that she attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show each year. However, event organizers have confirmed that the equestrian show will not be happening as scheduled this spring.
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Japan State Visit
Queen Elizabeth's plan to host the Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan later this spring has been put on hold. "The State Visit will be rescheduled at a later date," Buckingham Palace said.
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Prince Charles and Camilla's Spring Tour
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were set to embark on a royal tour from March 17 to March 25, making stops in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Cyprus and Jordan. However, the trip has been delayed due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. (Prince Charles later tested positive for the illness after experiencing "mild symptoms" and is now recovering.)
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Weekly Audiences with the Prime Minister
Any fan of The Crown knows about Queen Elizabeth's weekly audiences with the prime minister. However, the coronavirus pandemic means that those meetings are taking place a bit differently for the time being. The monarch released a photo from her meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson — taking place via telephone.
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Changing of the Guard
The ceremonial Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace — Queen Elizabeth's London residence — has been postponed until further notice "in line with government advice to avoid mass gatherings." The ceremonies at St. James's Palace and Windsor Castle are also canceled until it is safe to resume.