Why Queen Elizabeth Isn't Leaving Her Scottish Estate After A Reported COVID-19 Scare

Queen Elizabeth's world has been repeatedly turned upside down over the last year and a half. Between Prince Harry's exit from the royal family — and the consequences that followed — the pandemic, and coping with Prince Philip's death, Elizabeth's reign has experienced more than a few bumps in the road as of late.

Queen Elizabeth has followed COVID-19 protocols and guidelines throughout the pandemic, though she hasn't let the coronavirus stop her from celebrating holidays that she loves, like Easter. Still, Covid-19 has remained a threat to the queen. After all, the virus disproportionately harms older individuals, per the CDC.

Now, while the queen has been staying at her Balmoral Castle estate in Scotland, one of the estate's workers has tested positive for Covid-19 (via People). The worker tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, August 14, and was immediately sent home so as not to spread it to anyone else. Still, the queen has remained at the property. The only question is why.

As it turns out, Queen Elizabeth's reason for staying at Balmoral Castle despite a worker receiving a positive COVID-19 test is simple: She doesn't want to let this spook her. "The feeling is she still has to be careful yet she's determined to carry on as normal. She does not want to overreact," a source close to the queen explained to The Sun. The queen is vaccinated and has been an advocate for vaccination efforts across Britain.

Elizabeth's trip to Balmoral is her first since Philip's death in April, and the positive test came only five days after her arrival, per People. Still, she wants to remain level-headed. "All the staff at Balmoral are tested for COVID daily," a source explained. "[The impacted staff are] on a separate block on the estate. Workers have been told to wear masks and to socially distance, but the royals themselves are pretty much carrying on as they were."

Since the queen's arrival, various members of the royal family have visited. It's unknown how the estate worker contracted the virus. All we can hope for is that the queen, who's a sprightly 95 years old, remains healthy.