Palace scrapped Queen’s televised Covid-19 address for own safety and to ‘keep the airwaves clear’

Buckingham Palace scrapped a national televised address about coronavirus from the Queen ‘for her own safety’ and to keep the airways clear for politicians and medical professionals, a royal expert has claimed.

Last week Her Majesty, 93, issued a statement on the outbreak, saying the UK is ‘entering a period of great concern and uncertainty’.

Speaking after leaving London for Windsor, where she was joined by Prince Philip, she urged Britain to come together amid the crisis and assured the country that the Royal Family is ready to ‘play its part’ in beating the deadly infection. 

There had been speculation that the monarch would deliver this message on a national televised broadcast. 

Omid Scobie, a royal contributor on ABC, admitted he was confused by the sudden change to a written statement, having expressed a televised address.

However, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter explained that there were two reasons behind the decision not to go ahead with it.

Speaking on The HeirPod, she said: ‘There is a real sense that they need to keep the focus and keep the airwaves clear for the experts, for the doctors, for the Prime Minister.’

She added that the statement was a way to get the message out there as it could be printed on newspapers, posted on social media and read out on broadcast. 

‘It could reach a huge number of people without taking away airtime,’ she continued.

Last week Her Majesty, 93, issued a statement on the outbreak, saying the UK is ‘entering a period of great concern and uncertainty’

‘It is inevitable that at some stage she will address the nation. I hope it is not because things have gotten considerably worse but that we are coming out the other side.

‘But I think, that kind of decision would have been made for purely practical reasons and not wanting to overstretch resources.’

Victoria also suggested that the move was to limit the number of people around Her Majesty.

‘We know that when the Queen gives an address, there are a lot of people involved,’ she explained.

‘There is lighting, and sound, and hair and make-up, and producers, and directors, and, at least in the US every, major news station has reported a positive coronavirus case.

Speaking on The HeirPod, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter said: ‘There is a real sense that they need to keep the focus and keep the airwaves clear for the experts, for the doctors, for the Prime Minister (pictured)’

‘There is an abundance of caution given the Queen’s age and that she and Prince Philip are protected. So that impacted the decision-making.’

FEMAIL has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. 

Late last week, Downing Street sources said the Queen is preparing to make a televised address to calm the nation’s nerves during the ‘difficult times ahead’.

With the death toll from Covid-19 continuing to rise at a rapid rate, it is understood that as the ‘mother of the nation’ the Queen is waiting for the right moment and wants to time her address to make the maximum impact. 

Earlier today it emerged her son Prince Charles, 71, has tested positive for coronavirus.

The Prince of Wales, 71, received his results yesterday and is in self-isolation on the Balmoral estate in Scotland with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who is without any symptoms of the virus, which has killed 424 and infected 8,000 more in the UK so far. 

Speaking after leaving London for Windsor (pictured), where she was joined by Prince Philip, the Queen urged Britain to come together amid the crisis and assured the country that the Royal Family is ready to ‘play its part’ in beating the deadly infection

Charles is said to have ‘mild symptoms’ that started over the weekend and has fallen ill after meeting coronavirus-stricken Prince Albert of Monaco, who tested positive five days ago after he sat opposite the Prince of Wales at a WaterAid event in London on March 10.

A Clarence House spokesman said: ‘The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus. He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual. 

‘The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. In accordance with Government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland. The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire where they met the criteria required for testing’.

Charles’ spokesman said it was impossible to say where he caught it from because of the large number of public engagements he has carried out in ‘recent weeks’ – but it will raise questions over whether he got it from Prince Albert and if he has spread it himself.

Charles was last seen with the Queen on March 9 at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey and saw her again on March 12 – 24 hours before his doctor claims he became contagious

The Prince of Wales was last at Buckingham Palace on March 12 for investitures, where he ‘briefly’ saw the Queen, and his illness will raise fears for the health of elderly royals including his mother and Prince Philip, who are together at Windsor Castle.

A royal source said Charles’ doctor’s most conservative estimate was that the prince was contagious on March 13 – 24 hours after he last saw his mother. 

A Buckingham Palace spokesman has said: ‘Her Majesty The Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw The Prince of Wales briefly on the morning of March 12 and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare.’