Queen Elizabeth Forced To Cancel Beloved Royal Christmas Tradition Amidst COVID Spike

Queen Elizabeth, 95, has sadly been forced to cancel a beloved Christmas tradition that the Royal Family has enjoyed taking part in for years.

Another devastating setback for British monarch – this one at the hands of COVID-19 as cases spike in the United Kingdom – making this already-tough Christmas for the aging Queen a little more blue.

Queen Elizabeth Cancels Beloved Christmas Tradition 

The Queen has cancelled the Royal Family’s traditional pre-Christmas lunch, which would have taken place next week, for the second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“The decision is a precautionary one as it is felt to put too many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk if it went ahead,” a source told Fox News. “While there is regret that it is canceled, there is a belief it is the right thing to do for all concerned.”

This luncheon traditionally takes place at Buckingham Palace and is attended by dozens of people, including children.

This year’s lunch was going to take place at Windsor Castle, however, as that’s where the Queen has been for much of the pandemic. 

Related: Queen Elizabeth Sends Message To Barbados After It Cut Ties With The UK To Become A Republic

Difficult Christmas For The Royal Family

This Christmas will be a difficult one for the Queen, as it is her first in 73 years that she will celebrate without her husband Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99 earlier this year, by her side.

At the time of this writing, it is expected that the Queen will travel to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk to celebrate Christmas with her family there.

The Royal Family traditionally spends the holiday with the Queen at this estate, where they open their presents on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, they attend church services at St. Mary’s Magdalene Church before having lunch together at Sandringham and taking part in various other family Christmas activities. 

Sources have said that the Royal Family is particularly excited to celebrate Christmas with the Queen this year in the wake of a series of setbacks. 

Queen Elizabeth Plagued By Health Issues

Last month, the Queen was forced to back out of attending a ceremony at London’s Cenotaph memorial to honor service members who gave their lives fighting for the United Kingdom. Buckingham Palace said at the time that the Queen had “sprained her back,” and therefore regretfully could not attend. 

“The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph,” the statement read. “Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.”

When asked about the Queen’s health, her oldest son Prince Charles said that she was “all right.”

Full Story: Prince Charles Updates Public On Queen Elizabeth’s Health After Several Setbacks

Next year, the Queen is set to celebrate her record-breaking seventy years on the British throne with her Platinum Jubilee. We pray that she makes it to this milestone in good health, and that she has a very merry Christmas with her family!