Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, will not be able to spend the first Christmas with her mother since Prince Philip’s death. Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, the Queen decided to spend another Christmas at Windsor Castle instead of going to her Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England.
Anne, 71, and Laurence, 66, will have to spend the next 10 days isolating at their home in Gloucestershire, following government guidance, PEOPLE reports. Laurence and Anne married in 1992. The Princess Royal has two children from her marriage to Mark Phillips, Zara Tindall, 40, and Peter Phillips, 44.
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The omicron coronavirus surge in the U.K. has forced people there to rethink their Christmas plans, including the royal family. Last week, the Queen first canceled the traditional pre-Christmas lunch with her family at Windsor Castle. Then on Monday, the Queen also canceled the trip to Sandringham and will stay at Windsor instead. Last year, the Queen and Prince Philip, who died in April at 99, also spent Christmas and New Year’s Day at Windsor.
The Queen decided to stay at Windsor after “careful consideration,” a royal source told PEOPLE on Monday. The royal family planned to visit the Queen during the holiday. Prince Andrew and Prince Edward live close to the Queen, so they are expected to stop by. It’s not clear if Prince Charles or her grandson Prince William will stop by as they live further away.
While Christmas will look very different for the royal family this year, Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, did take part in a TV special, Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, which airs Friday night in the U.K. During the service, the Duchess of Cambridge thanked those who helped their community during the pandemic. William and Middleton also released a statement on Wednesday to thank NHS workers who put their own lives at risk to help others.
“The dedication and commitment of all NHS staff has been awe inspiring,” the Duke and Duchess wrote. “From frontline nurses, doctors, and porters to those behind the scenes; you have carried on despite the hardship, despite exhaustion and long hours, and despite the emotional toll this pandemic has exacted. You have cared for incredibly sick patients and their families, in circumstances made all the more challenging by this virus, and your unending compassion has meant so much in the darkest moments.”ย
