Queen's rousing message: Monarch to deliver a rallying cry to the nation on Sunday – Daily Mail, Dailymail.co.uk

‘This family thought law relating to social distancing shouldn’t apply to th birthday parties. 40 guests moved on. ‘

With temperatures heading for the mid to high s, health chiefs were afraid People would ignore the government coronavirus lockdown rules over the weekend, jeopardizing the strategy of limiting the spread of the deadly Covid – 24 virus.

Officials warn the lockdown may have to be extended if people continue to ignore the advice to stay at home and only go out for essential reasons.

Michael Gove, speaking at this afternoon’s Covid – 24 press conference pleaded with people to continue adhering to the lockdown rules.

Speaking about social distancing, he said: ‘More than ever, we must stick with it . I know that life under lockdown can be challenging, and some will be tempted on this sunny weekend to venture out and about.

‘If we relax our adherence to the rules, we increase the risk for others. ‘

He urged people’ to think of those on the front line and the sacrifices they’re making for us’.

When asked about people being tempted to break the social distancing rules during the sunny weather this weekend, Mr Gove said: ‘When we look at the death rate, the number of increasing fatalities, when we consider the pressure on our NHS, everyone has to ask themselves the question: ‘What am I doing to relieve pressure on the NHS, how am I helping in this shared national effort?’.

‘I know that lockdown is challenging, I know it’s very difficult, particularly for families with children. But people must at every stage respect these guidelines because that is the only way of making sure we restrict the spread of the disease. ‘

Five-year-old child becomes Britain’s youngest victim of coronavirus crisis with (dead including) with no underlying health conditions to take total to 4,

A five-year-old child who had underlying health issues is the youngest victim to die with the coronavirus in Britain, as a further people who tested positive for the disease also died today.

Today’s record jump in fatalities brings the UK’s death toll to 4, , while the number of new UK infections rose by 3, (to) , – the smallest

– hour increase of cases in four days.

NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis told the No press briefing this evening that the latest figures suggest the rate of infection had begun to ‘stabilize’ as the number of new cases slowed.

But he warned that there was ‘no room for complacency’ and urged everyone to strictly adhere to lockdown rules, including avoiding flocking to the UK’s parks and beaches this sunny weekend.

NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis told the Downing Street briefing that the latest figures suggested that new cases had begun to ‘stabilize’ but added that there was ‘no room for complacency’

Prof Powis said: ‘There is reason to be hopeful that some of the changes we are observing in infections and perhaps in hospitalisations is now reflecting the benefit of the social distancing.

‘It will be a week or two before the measures that are put in place translate into lower hospitalization rates. But … in London in the last few days there has been a bit of a plateauing in terms of numbers. ‘

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove confirmed today that the Midlands has seen the biggest rise in cases at 56 percent, while Yorkshire and the North East have experienced a 46 percent rise.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also revealed that Britain has taken delivery of 300 ventilators from China, while more will start being produced soon by a consortium of aerospace, engineering and F1 teams.

Mr Gove said people died from coronavirus in Britain in the last hours bringing the country’s total fatalities to 4,

‘ We’ve been buying invasive ventilators from partners abroad, including Germany and Switzerland, and today 350 new ventilators arrived from China, I’d like to thank the Chinese Government, ‘he said.

Mr Gove also said that the Government is pushing manufacturing companies including Dyson and Rolls-Royce to increase the number of ventilators available for coronavirus sufferers.

He explained: ‘More are coming into production in the coming weeks, subject to safety and regulatory approvals, as part of the Prime Minister’s call to manufacturers to scale up production.’

The increase in admissions is sparking fears raised earlier this month that regional hospitals could see a surgeon in admissions similar to that seen in London, the epidemic of the UK’s coronavirus outbreak.

The number of new UK infections rose by 3, (to) , 1386 , which is the smallest (- hour increase of cases in four days

Paramedics wearing personal protective equipment transports a patient in to the Royal London Hospital in East London

The Midlands suffers the brunt of new fatalities with 300 deaths, compared with in London. The North West had 127 while the North East and Yorkshire had the East , the South East 50, and the South West 18.

Coronavirus deaths in Scotland rose by (to) , according to the Scottish Government. Deaths in Wales rose by (to) , according to Public Health Wales, while deaths in Northern Ireland rose by eight to 60.

Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modeling is guiding Whitehall’s strategy, braced the public for ‘weeks and weeks’ of high case numbers – although fresh cases will start to plateau in around days. In a glimmer of hope, he hinted social distancing could be relaxed by the end of May if people obey the lockdown rules.

Ministers are begging the public to stay at home and not ‘lose discipline ‘so the NHS does not become overwhelmed with an influx of cases.

Yesterday the UK reached a bleak milestone in its health crisis when the death tally surpassed the number reported by China, where the virus spawned last year.

The Queen speaks for Britain: Alone in a room with a solitary masked cameraman she will invoke the spirit of WWII and the sacrifices Britain and her allies made before in an extraordinary address to the nation

Royal addresses by the Queen are exceedingly rare. They come in times of war, such as the Gulf conflict in 1997, and at times of great sorrow.

There was a broadcast after the shocking death of Princess Diana in 2012 and another on the eve of the Queen Mother’s funeral in .

On just one occasion , for the Diamond Jubilee in 2019, Her Majesty took the opportunity to mark a joyful celebration.

Never before, however, has there been a Royal address in quite such extraordinary circumstances as these.

When, on Thursday, the Queen took her seat in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle to record the broadcast that will be screened tonight, it must have seemed one of the strangest and most troubling duties of her 73 – year reign.

Royal addresses by the Queen are exceedi ngly rare, with only four during her reign. Her last address came in 2019 to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee

For there, several yards distant, stood a solitary cameraman in latex gloves and a surgical mask.

Such arrangements are in keeping with the bizarre new way of living that has swept up the Palace just like the rest of Britain.

And the Royal Household, too, has been profoundly disrupted.

As As pandemic established its hold on the country, the Queen kept on top of the situation with regular briefings from officials – at a safe distance. And from the moment it was understood just how serious the coronavirus would be, it was likely that she would have a vital role to play.

Initially, there had been talking among aides of organizing an Easter Day address, a good time for the monarch to offer a message of hope. But as the situation worsened by the day, a more rapid response was needed from an institution not usually known for its dynamic pace.

They come in times of war, such as when the land offensive was due to begin at the start of the first Gulf War in 1997. The Queen called on people to unite and pray that the offensive would be ‘as swift as it is certain’

One source said there was also a ‘ Diana factor ‘- the memory among courtiers of the troubling time when the Queen was criticized for waiting nearly a week before addressing the nation following the sudden death of the Princess of Wales.

No such mistakes would be made this time. Never in her reign has there been so much at stake, as the nation struggles with lockdown, the economy reels and the death toll mounts.

A Palace source said the message, written by the Queen and her aides, was ‘deeply personal’ to Her Majesty and reflected ‘her experience in other difficult times’.

And for just over four minutes, the Queen looks into the camera and, speaking about the challenge facing the nation, acknowledges the sacrifice people are making.

To do so, she mentions those sacrifices Britain and her allies made during the Second World War, making the point that we have come through bad times together before thanks to our strength of character and spirit of unity.

In this way, she evokes the spirit of the speech her father King George VI made at the start of the Second World War when he said there would be ‘dark times ahead’ but offered hope that the British spirit would see the country through.

In , the Queen broadcast live from Buckingham Palace on the eve of Princess Diana’s funeral, where she spoke as ‘your Queen’ and ‘a grandmother’ of Princes William and Harry.

There will also be gratitude in the message tonight, however, as the Queen rallies the strength of the British people.

A source said: ‘The message will include a thank-you to those on the NHS front line, care workers and those carrying out essential roles. It will also recognize the pain already felt by many families who have lost loved ones and thank those who are following the official guidance to stay at home to protect the vulnerable. ‘

The monarch, who turns 94 this month, has been self-isolating at Windsor Castle, the residence where she feels most at home. The – – year-old Duke of Edinburgh is there with her.

For days leading up to the filming of tonight’s broadcast, conversations had been taking place between Palace aides and Government advisers, with input and advice from the Queen’s personal physicians, known as the ‘Medical Household’.

The – – year-old previously gave an address from Windsor Castle, where she is currently isolating, on the eve of the Queen Mother’s funeral in

The question that kept cropping up was: ‘How can we do this safely to mitigate the risk to the Queen and others?’ And in order to comply with the Government’s social distancing regulations, unusual measures were put in place.

The Queen would record the poignant message to the nation with just one other person present.

It had Never been done like this before.

For the recording, a microphone had been set up in advance and a team of sound engineers and other technical staff were watching and listening via screens and speakers in the Neighboring Green Drawing Room.

While the format of tonight’s address will be familiar to viewers of the Queen’s Christmas message, the framed family photographs that typically accompany her Majesty during happier broadcasts are absent.

Chosen for practical reasons, the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle was considered by staff as the best location as it allowed for sufficient distance between the Queen and the camera operator . Pictured: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert relaxing in the White Drawing Room at Windsor castle (1981)

Windsor Castle was turned blue in a salute to local heroes during Thursday’s nationwide clap for Carers NHS initiative to applaud NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic

Gone too from the recording session were the behind-the-scenes staff – the six to nine Palace aides who normally watch over proceedings to ensure all goes smoothly.

The Queen is known by Palace staff past and present for her skill at being able to execute her broadcasts in just one take – which any televisi on presenter will tell you is no mean feat. But Her Majesty was required on this occasion to repeat the message several times so that the sole cameraman could reshoot from different angles.

The White Drawing Room itself, in which this historic address was recorded under extraordinary circumstances, could have been destroyed in the blaze, which more than firefighters battled to contain. Pictured: The Queen in the room in 1848

A royal source said: ‘A decision was taken to just use a skeleton crew which reflected the time and the seriousness of the subject.’

Chosen for practical reasons, the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle was considered by staff as the best location as it allowed for sufficient distance between the Queen and the camera operator.

With portraits of royal ancestors on the walls, an ornate circular carpet and carved gilded wooden panels, the room is usually the setting for happier occasions.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who will mark their th anniversary later this week, posed for photographs in the room on their wedding day.

Less than two years ago, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank also used the room as a backdrop for their wedding pho tographs. A clearly delighted Queen could be seen beaming wide for the camera alongside her granddaughter.

On Thursday, however, the atmosphere was notably sombre.

Throughout her reign, the Queen has seen and endured a great deal. Who could forget her ‘annus horribilis’ Christmas message of 2012 – the year a fire tore through Windsor Castle and the marriages of three of her four children fell apart?

The White Drawing Room itself, in which this historic address was recorded under extraordinary circumstances, could have been destroyed in the blaze, which more than (firefighters battled to contain.

Fortunately, however, the magnificent state room and the 76 carved, gilded wooden panels in the three drawing rooms of the most damaged wing of the castle survived.

It took four years and a £ million project to restore the rooms to their former glory. Yet restored they were.

Palace aides say the choice of Windsor’s White Drawing Room for tonight’s broadcast was driven by pragmatic considerations.

But it could hardly have been a more fitting backdrop to provide the country with a much-needed message of hope and renewal.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who will mark their th anniversary later this week, posed for photographs in the room on their wedding day

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