Palace aides plan to hide Queen Elizabeth II during Prince Philip's memorial

Buckingham Palace is said to be planning a "major military-style operation" to get Queen Elizabeth II to Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip's memorial on March 29.

Expectations are that the 95-year-old British monarch will be flown by helicopter for the 15-minute trip from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace. This is to ensure her comfort amid reports that she can no longer handle the long car ride to London.

Then from the palace, she will be driven to Westminster Abbey, where the service will take place. Palace aides are not keen on the idea of letting her walk the short distance given the struggles she has with her mobility.

According to The Sun, the public may not even catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II as she exits her car. Senior Buckingham Palace aides plan to hide her during Prince Philip's memorial using six-foot privacy screens or a football-style tunnel that would shield her from the photographers.

Moreover, it is said that palace aides "are not happy with her walking around 100 yards" from the Abbey entrance through the nave and choir to get her to her seat. Instead, they want to seal off the entire Dean's Yard to the west where her car could park in private.

Aides also want to bring her into the Abbey at Poets' Corner so she only has a short walk to get to her seat in The Sanctuary. A source said that plans are being made to ensure she is comfortable at the service.

"She must be there, and the best and most capable minds are hard at work doing their very best to make it work. The Queen couldn't go to the Commonwealth ceremony because they couldn't take her all that distance as it's very uncomfortable in all that traffic," the insider said adding that Queen Elizabeth II has refused to use a wheelchair. But if ever she decides at the last minute to use it then it must reportedly be done behind screens.

Queen Elizabeth II has now resumed her in-person engagements at Windsor Castle following her COVID-19 recovery. Photos showed her standing and greeting guests without her walking stick, but she has reportedly been asked to pace her diary so she can attend Prince Philip's memorial.