Royal family

Queen Elizabeth II May Have Just Shown How She Is Protecting Herself Amid Coronavirus Fears

Find out what Queen Elizabeth just did that she hasn't done in decades that many believe was a sign she is taking precautions against the coronavirus.

by Michelle Kapusta

Published on March 4, 2020

2 min read

Queen Elizabeth wore these to ceremony

The number of cases of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the U.K. has risen to more than 50. And now, many believe that Britain’s queen was taking precautions during an investiture ceremony on March 3 which is why she wore gloves as she shook hands.

“This is the first time in my memory, and I’ve been covering the royal family for 30 years, that Her Majesty has worn gloves for an investiture,” said ABC News royal contributor Robert Jobson. “It is clear that she is acting on advice and her doctors are taking no chances.”

It’s true that this is one event in which the queen rarely wears gloves. In fact, the last time she had on gloves while handing out MBEs, OBEs, and knighthoods and pinning the awards on a recipients’ clothing was more than 65 years ago when she recognized Air Marshal Claude Pelly in Yemen.

Moreover, during an investiture ceremony two weeks ago she was pictured without gloves. So many reports claim that with the growing concerns she chose or was advised to wear them this time. The Palace would comment on those reports but a royal source did tell The Mirror that the “queen and Palace staff would follow government advice.”

A video of some of the ceremony was posted on the royal family’s social media accounts in which the monarch is seen wearing gloves.

The New York Post noted that “the elderly are among those most vulnerable to the illness.”

The queen will turn 94 on April 21.

Why Her Majesty wears gloves for other events often

While she hasn’t worn gloves for this particular event since 1954, you probably noticed that the monarch has been photographed at plenty of royal engagements over the years in gloves. Well, there are a few reasons why she does wear them so often.

Queen Elizabeth II wearing white gloves | Bryn Lennon/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

The queen’s gloves are made by Cornelia James Ltd. The company has also made them for Princess Anne, Kate Middleton, and the late Princess Diana on the occasions when she wore gloves.

Genevieve James, who is the creative director and daughter of the founder, said Her Majesty accessorizes with the gloves because her “outfits with a hat and handbag look utterly unfinished without [them].” James also mentioned that the length of the queen’s gloves is important and needs to stretch five inches from the base of the thumb up the arm.

“When you’re the queen and you’re shaking hands, you don’t really want to show your arms. The glove goes a bit under her [sleeve], so you don’t actually see any arm,” James explained.