The Palace Plans ‘Comfortable’ Route to Ensure the Queen Attends Prince Philip’s Memorial
After the Queen missed Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey last Monday, experts predicted that she might not be able to attend her late husband’s memorial service, which will take place at the same location.
However, insiders are saying that the Queen is really looking forward to attending the service on March 29. To be able to get the 95-year-old comfortably to the church, especially after it was announced that she can no longer stand for long periods of time, the Palace plotted what is being referred to as a “military-style” plan.
Buckingham Palace to Get Queen Elizabeth through 60-mile Trip Using Helicopters and Privacy Screens
The Queen is currently not suffering from any illness apart from the frailties “that come with living a long life”. In regards to her age, making sure she’s comfortable becomes a necessity.
To get her to the service, the first part of the journey from Windsor to Buckingham Palace will be traveled on a helicopter. The helicopter ride will take roughly 15 minutes. There, she will take a car to the back of Abbey. The car will get through Dean’s Yard and, to avoid the press, will enter through cloisters using a tunnel screen or six-foot tall privacy screens. The entire Dean’s Yard to the west of the Abbey will be sealed off prior to her arrival.
Her Majesty will then be assisted through the cloisters and, instead of entering through the main door and having to walk the long distance to her seat, she will enter the church through Poets’ Corner to take her seat in The Sanctuary.
The option of assistance has also been explored in order to make it easy for the elderly royal to get around The Cloisters, the south and east parts, in comfort and quickly.
They are also exploring the option of whether she can be seated before the audience arrives rather than last, as is tradition.
A source said of the plan to get her comfortably to Abbey: “Everything is being looked at to make sure the Queen makes it to Philip’s service. But the most important thing is to make sure she is comfortable.
Everything is being looked at to make sure the Queen makes it to Philip’s service
“She must be there, and the best and most capable minds are hard at work doing their very best to make it work. The Queen couldn’t go to the Commonwealth ceremony because they couldn’t take her all that distance as it’s very uncomfortable in all that traffic.”
The source added that a 15-minute helicopter flight is preferably better than an hour sitting “in the back of a car”.
The insider also revealed that “some days she can walk around easily. Other days she cannot. It varies from day to day.”
However, royal biographer Penny Junor noted that it’s not the end of the world “if she doesn’t make it”, but added that she believes they would “move Heaven and Earth to try to get her there”.
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