Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP
- Queen Elizabeth II has made her first public appearance in a face mask while visiting the grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in London to mark the centenary since his burial.
- The mask was black with white edges and may have been made by Angela Kelly, who often designs the Queen’s outfits but Buckingham Palace has not commented, according to Sky News.
- The Queen has also been advised against attending another service at Westminster Abbey for Armistice Day, which will take place on November 11, the BBC reported.
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The Queen has made her first public appearance in a face mask while visiting the grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, London to mark the centenary of his burial.
Face coverings are required by law in England in places of worship and the brief service was attended by only a few after royal doctors advised limiting attendance numbers, according to the BBC.
The initial plans for the Queen to re-trace the processional route of the unknown warrior and that of her grandfather King George V had to be scaled back because of COVID-19, ITV News reported.
A royal aide described her attendance as a “simple but deeply personal act,” according to Harper’s Bazaar.
They added: “The grave of the Unknown Warrior is as relevant and poignant today as it was when Her Majesty’s grandfather and father stood in the Abbey at its side 100 years ago.
"It holds enormous significance for the country and the Royal Family. The Queen was keen that the centenary was marked appropriately."
The Queen's mask was black with white edges and may have been made by Angela Kelly, who designs many of the Queen's outfits but Buckingham Palace has not commented, Sky News reported.
The Queen, 94, previously came under fire from pressure group Republic last month for not wearing a face mask when she visited scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) in Porton Down, near Salisbury, according to The Guardian.
She was accompanied by her grandson, Prince William, who didn't wear a mask either, despite testing positive for COVID-19 in April and being seen wearing one on multiple occasions since.
However, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said at the time that "specific advice had been sought and all necessary precautions taken," the BBC added.
The grave of the Unknown Warrior is the final resting place of an unidentified British soldier who died in World War One. It also represents those who died in the war but remain unidentified.
The ceremony took place the day before a four-week lockdown began in England, during which people cannot leave home unless for specific reasons such as essential shopping or for medical assistance.
Although people in England can attend an event commemorating Remembrance Sunday, many have been moved online and they have been encouraged to privately pay their respects from home.
The Queen has also been advised against attending another service at Westminster Abbey for Armistice Day, which will take place on November 11, the BBC reported.