Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (opens in new tab) usually return to Buckingham Palace in the fall after spending the summer in their Scottish estate of Balmoral. This year, however, the coronavirus outbreak has changed their plans, and as People (opens in new tab) reports, instead of returning to London in October, the Queen and Philip will return to Windsor Castle, where they have been quarantined since March. According to the Sunday Times, this is the longest the Queen has left Buckingham Palace since she ascended the throne in 1952.

The royal family usually gathers at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire every summer, but the Sunday Times reports (open in new tab) that the pandemic has changed that dramatically. Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Archie had planned to visit this year, but international travel restrictions scrapped those plans. According to the paper, royal guests arriving at Balmoral have been barred from entering the castle itself and are staying at other facilities on the grounds. The guests are apparently participating in outdoor activities such as "walking, shooting, fishing, horseback riding, picnicking, and barbecuing," while indoor dining is much more restricted.

To minimize the risk of the Queen contracting COVID-19, she spends her summers in a "Balmoral Bubble" consisting of staff who have already had contact with the monarch in Windsor. That staff includes the following members (deep breath): "Chief of the Chamber of Deputies, Vice Admiral Tony Johnston-Burt; the Queen's private secretary, Sir Edward Young; Chief of the Chamber of Deputies, Paul Whybrew and William Henderson; Chief of the Chamber of Deputies, Major Nana Kofi Tumasi-Ankrah; Chief of the Chamber of Deputies. Terry Pendry, the Queen's personal assistant and senior dressmaker Angela Kelly, Kelly's PA Jackie Newbold, and three assistant dressmakers. [A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told The Sunday Times, "Balmoral is a private affair and we will not comment on any plans or arrangements."