Queen Elizabeth II had been carrying out many of her duties virtually since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, and after the death of her husband Prince Philip last year. But on Wednesday, she hosted visitors at Windsor Castle for her first in-person engagement since her son Prince Charles, with whom she had been in contact, tested positive for the coronavirus this month.
The meeting offered the most recent glimpse of the queen at a time when her country’s attention is focused on scrutinizing every aspect of the 95-year-old monarch’s health.
In video of the meeting, the queen can be seen greeting Maj. Gen. Eldon Millar, the incoming defense services secretary who works as a liaison between the monarch and the defense forces, and his predecessor, Rear Adm. James Macleod.
Photos and videos showed the queen standing at some distance from the two men throughout their meeting, while smiling warmly. She held a cane in her left hand and wore a brightly patterned green-and-pink dress. Throughout the clip, the queen appeared to be in good spirits, and many analysts said that the in-person meeting was intended to signal her good health.
“How are you?” one of the men asked.
“Well, as you can see I can’t move,” the queen said with something of a chuckle, appearing to gesture to her left leg or foot, before shaking hands with both men. The trio chatted casually.
A number of members of staff at Windsor Castle, the royal residence where the queen has spent most of her time since the pandemic began, have tested positive for the virus.