How Queen Elizabeth II keeps busy in Windsor Castle amid virus lockdown

Queen Elizabeth II is isolating with her husband Prince Philip in Windsor Castle since March. The royal couple is living along with only around a dozen staff members in her private apartments.Royal fans are now keen to know how the 94-year-old royal is keeping herself busy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The British monarch and her 98-year-old husband are staying in Windsor Castle since March 19 as per lockdown restrictions imposed by the UK government. Since Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip belong to the vulnerable age group, they are following the social distancing guidelines.

The Duke of Edinburgh prefers to spend his time at Wood Farm on their Sandringham estate in Norfolk most of the times. The monarch's favourite horses have been kept in the stables, and she is not even indulging in her favourite pastime of horse riding at this time of the pandemic, The Times reported. But is in most likelihood missing her head groom Terry Pendry.

The queen is keeping herself busy by being up to date with the latest news. The nonagenarian royal spends time at her desk, reading newspapers and watching news on the television, a source placed close to her inner circle said. This apart, she also keeps in touch with her family by using video calling.

According to Daily Mail, a pastime that most likely keeps the monarch amused and busy during lockdown is her budgerigars (a long-tailed seed-eating parrot). The queen was gifted two free-flying Liberty budgies in 1930, but now it has grown to a flight of more than a hundred birds.

"I know she likes to see them when she is at Windsor. In fact it was her vigilance that saved a bird once," said Graham Stone, the gardener and keeper of the royal budgies. He revealed the monarch was fascinated by the birds and even once saved a bird's life. The bird had caught its leg in the wire caging, and when she noticed she told the gardener, who called a vet to rescue it.

A very small group of her staff members are allowed access to Upper Ward. It is the quadrangle which houses the state and private apartments of the queen. In normal times, there are 150 people, including staff and the Military Knights of Windsor (retired military officers given a pension and a home in the castle) who stay inside the castle.

It was earlier reported that this is the first time in three years that the queen and her husband are spending time together since he retired from public duty in 2017. The royal couple love each other's company and even when apart, catch up over regular phone calls.