Queen locked down at Windsor Castle with 22 members of staff who are isolated from their families until crisis ends
THE Queen is locked down at Windsor Castle with 22 members of staff in what a top aide has dubbed “HMS Bubble”, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The team have said goodbye to their families for the duration of isolation. ⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates The measures […]
THE Queen is locked down at Windsor Castle with 22 members of staff in what a top aide has dubbed “HMS Bubble”, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
The team have said goodbye to their families for the duration of isolation.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The measures have been revealed in an astonishing memo to staff by Master of the Household Tony Johnstone-Burt, a former Royal Navy officer.
Courtiers moved Her Majesty, 94, to Windsor from Buckingham Palace to see out the pandemic in safety with Prince Philip, 98.
Her isolation at Windsor Castle has been compared with a long deployment at sea where sailors are separated from their families for several months.
In his morale-boosting memo to 500 Palace staff, Vice-Admiral Johnstone-Burt called the operation HMS Bubble.
‘DO OUR DUTY FOR THE QUEEN’
He said teamwork, a regular routine and a clear objective were essential to surviving the lockdown.
He wrote: “I’m sure that we shall emerge as a stronger, more considerate and more resilient Royal Household team as a result and able to do our duty for the Queen.”
Prince Philip was flown from Sandringham when the lockdown began. The couple, who have been married 72 years, are being looked after by their favourite servants.
An insider said: “Her senior staff, including her private secretary Sir Edward Young, and his assistants have all moved into the castle.
“They won’t be seeing their families because no risks can be taken and they can’t go in and out.
“The most important thing is to protect the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh from the virus.
“If something happened to them it doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers. The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM. No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here: www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal.
The source said the Queen and Prince Philip had heard the phrase “HMS Bubble” and found it “amusing”.
The Duke thought it was hilarious, especially as he was in the Navy himself and years ago was often called ‘Big Bubble’.”
In the 1950s and ’60s Greece-born Philip had the nickname as bubble and squeak is Cockney rhyming slang for Greek.
The Queen has not seen any members of her family since she started isolating last month, even though sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward live nearby.
QUEEN A ‘DAB HAND’ AT SKYPE AND ZOOM
However she has kept in contact by phone and insiders say she has become “a dab hand” at Skype and Zoom to speak to relatives and friends.
She famously promised “we will meet again” in her four-minute message recorded under strict health conditions and broadcast to the nation on April 5.
Mr Johnstone-Burt, 62, a dad of five and dog lover, is said to be a “favourite” of the Queen who admires his “can-do” attitude.
He was appointed as Master in 2013 and is in charge of a massive team of staff covering catering, housekeeping, entertainment and maintenance.
He is also overseeing a £370million, ten-year refit of Buckingham Palace.
He hit the headlines last September when he was involved with an “eyeball to eyeball” confrontation with Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Aides said the spat was over a double-booked room which Andrew wanted to use for his Pitch@Palace organisation.
Ironically both Andrew and Johnstone-Burt served as helicopter pilots during the Falklands War in 1982.
A footman who walks the Queen’s dogs tested positive for coronavirus last month and was sent home, along with a hundred other workers.
Buckingham Palace said it would not comment on private arrangements.
Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff
We are urging Sun readers to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.
We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.” SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
We are asking our readers to please sign the petition below.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk