Here's everything you need to know...
Coronavirus has changed life as we know it, isolating people to their homes, cancelling events and postponing travel plans.
No one is exempt from these guidelines, not even the royal family, with the Mountbatten-Windsors isolating in different parts of the United Kingdom during lockdown, unable to see each other.
The Queen and Prince Philip are on lockdown in their Windsor Castle home and tended to by a skeleton staff. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are living in Balmoral, Scotland. Prince William and Kate Middleton are spending lockdown in their Norfolk home, Amner Hall. And Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are staying in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.
The royal family – like all of us – have been communicating virtually, celebrating milestone moments – from baby Archie’s birthday to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding anniversary - over video calls.
The milestone event that is getting all the attention this week is Prince Philip’s birthday, with the Duke of Edinburgh turning 99 years old tomorrow.
According to insiders, the Duke of Edinburgh’s birthday celebrations are set to be very low key, with ‘gadget man’ Philip set to speak to his loved ones virtually as has become tradition these past few months.
‘[They] don’t really celebrate birthdays without a nought,’ a source revealed via the Daily Mail, with royal expert Robert Lacey adding: ‘He is suspicious of fuss, but I think there'll be a quiet glow of pride there and quite justified. That's always been his style. Lowkey, but tremendously solid support.'
The Ministry of Defence has also confirmed that this birthday will be more low key than usual, as they announced that the traditional gun salute was not scheduled to take place this year.
Happy birthday Prince Philip!
