The Queen left Buckingham Palace on Thursday to start her Easter break, one week earlier than planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 93-year-old monarch was dressed casually in a blue cardigan and a navy bodywarmer, as she sat in the back seat of the car with one of her beloved pet dogs.
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Her Majesty is usually joined by members of her family for the Easter Sunday service, but it's not clear at this stage, whether this tradition will go ahead as per usual. The annual Maundy Service at St George's Chapel on 9 April has already been cancelled.
Earlier this week, Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing changes to the Queen's diary, following the COVID-19 pandemic. The royal garden parties at her London residence in May will no longer take place and the Japanese state visit, due to take place this spring, has been postponed and will be rescheduled. Announcements about the Queen's birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, and the 75th anniversary of VE Day are expected to be made in due course.
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The Queen was wearing her signature red lipstick
It was also confirmed on Wednesday that the Queen's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, will no longer have her wedding reception at Buckingham Palace gardens. The Duke of York's eldest daughter is set to marry property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at the Royal Chapel in St James's Palace, London, on Friday 29 May.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi are very much looking forward to getting married but are equally aware of the need to avoid undertaking any unnecessary risks in the current circumstances. In line with government advice for the UK and beyond, the couple are reviewing their arrangements for 29 May.
"They are particularly conscious of government advice in relation to both the wellbeing of older family members and large gatherings of people. Therefore, the planned reception in the Buckingham Palace Gardens will not take place. The couple will carefully consider government advice before deciding whether a private marriage might take place amongst a small group of family and friends."
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