THE Queen is set for a virtual birthday party as the lockdown means she cannot be visited by friends and family.
She will mark her 94th birthday tomorrow in isolation at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98.
Plans were underway last week to set up video calls so she could be wished a happy birthday by her children and grandchildren scattered across the country.
The Queen was surrounded by 16 family members for her birthday last year but like millions around the country she is banned from seeing relatives and friends due to the coronavirus lockdown.
She has halted any public celebration of her big day cancelling the traditional gun salutes in Hyde Park and Tower of London and Trooping of the Colour in June.
Aides said any phone calls and video calls tomorrow will be private.
Last week William revealed there was a royal family zoom group.
He said: “We have, we’ve done many a family thing. We’ve been talking to all our family online. And it’s been a really good way of keeping in touch.”
Royal sources revealed there were plans last week to find secure video conferencing to get the family together.
It is understood William, in Anmer, Norfolk, has kept in touch with his dad Prince Charles, 500 miles away in Birkhall, Scotland, via FaceTime.
William and Kate have made a string of video calls to several charities and hospitals since the coronavirus lockdown.
On Friday Wills revealed they have a “family zoom” to keep in touch to let George, Charlotte and Louis see their grandparents.
Prince Charles mastered the video call as he opened the NHS Nightingale in London remotely from the Scottish Highlands where he was recovering from coronavirus.
Harry used zoom to speak with WellChild last week and Meghan spoke on the app to chat with members of the Hubb Community Kitchen in Londin, both from Los Angeles.
Millions of families are forced to keep in touch on video calls such as through WhatsApp or Skype or group calls on Zoom or House Party.
On Saturday Buckingham Palace revealed there will be no 41-gun salute at Hyde Park by Troop Colour Royal Horse Artillery or a 62 gun salute by Honourable Artillery Company at Tower of London.
A palace spokesman said: “Her Majesty was keen that no special measures were put in place to allow gun salutes as she did not feel it appropriate in the current circumstances.”
Plans have are in place for video calls.
Meanwhile, families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 railed at Prince Harry, 35, after he appeared to downplay the pandemic on an Army veterans podcast.
