Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Celebration Won't Include Gun Salutes in Light of Coronavirus Lockdown

Meanwhile, the U.K. government department in charge of flag protocol has written to all departments saying that there should not be any flag flying. But they add “we are not expecting everyone to be able to follow this advice and you should continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines as set out by the Government.”

The Queen’s official birthday celebration of Trooping the Colour in June has also been cancelled and there are no current plans for any alternative way of marking her birthday.

The Queen has made a number of public statements amid the global pandemic, emphasizing the need to band together as a country, united in fortitude and strength.

In addition to sharing an encouraging reminder that “coronavirus will not overcome us” on Easter, the monarch, who is currently residing in Windsor Castle with her husband Prince Phillip, made a rare televised address earlier this month.

“Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it,” she said in the morale-boosting speech. “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

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The U.K. has been under lockdown since March 23 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. It was recently announced that the lockdown would continue until at least May, although current protocols could remain in effect until June.

As of Saturday, there have been at least 109,769 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.K., the sixth most worldwide, and 14,607 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

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