Palace Releases First Photos of Queen in Months

94-year-old was seen riding pony on castle grounds
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 1, 2020 12:48 PM CDT
Queen Pictured Outside for First Time in 2 Months
In this photo released Sunday, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II rides Balmoral Fern, a 14-year-old Fell Pony, in Windsor Home Park in Windsor, England.   (Steve Parsons/Pool via AP)

Queen Elizabeth II has been photographed outside for the first time since Britain issued stay-at-home—or, in her case, stay-at-castle—orders more than two months ago. The palace released photos of the 94-year-old monarch riding a pony on the grounds of Windsor Castle over the weekend, the BBC reports. The last pictures of her taken outside were on March 19, when she left Buckingham Palace for Windsor Castle as Britain entered lockdown. She has made two televised addresses to the nation since lockdown began, including one on April 5 when she recalled a World War II broadcast she made to children evacuated from their homes during the Blitz.

The queen has been isolating at the castle with husband Prince Philip and "it is likely a small group of household staff have been isolating with her," ITV reports. Last month, sources told Vanity Fair that the Queen has been riding almost every day and is keen to return to public duties. "She can’t be seen to be going against official government advice, but it’s fair to say she’s looking forward to getting back to normal," one royal source said. "It’s a delicate line but I think we will see her doing private audiences again and more of the work we are used to seeing her do in public at some point in the future." (More Queen Elizabeth II stories.)

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