Queen Elizabeth Heartbreak: Queen Turns Emotional After Another COVID-19 Loss

By Annie Dee

Queen Elizabeth II — (Photo : Richard Pohle/Pool via REUTERS)

The Queen rarely shows her emotions but the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects are starting to get to her. Queen Elizabeth turns quite emotional when she shared a moving message with racing fans.

This year's Royal Ascot 2020 is happening behind doors. It will be the first time this happened ever and it saddens Queen Elizabeth that she would be watching it also from home. She is quite a passionate racing fan and for the first time ever in her 68-year-reign, she would not be able to attend the five-day event.

Nothing has barred Queen Elizabeth II away from the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting all these years of being a monarch. But then, COVID-19 and its risks cannot be undermined.

The Royal Ascot 2020 starts on June 16 and ends on June 20. It is closed to the public but televised on ITV as well as Sky Sports. Queen Elizabeth is likely tuning in on the race from Windsor Castle where she is practicing isolation and quarantine.

There is no denying that the Queen is an avid fan of this event. She is presently one of the largest thoroughbred owners and breeders in Britain. It has already been said that this is one of her, if not her most favorite, events of the year. This is probably why she felt compelled to write her emotions in a letter.

In her message, she clearly expressed empathy towards "racing professionals as well as enthusiasts."

On the other hand, being the ever-positive Queen, she also said that she feels particularly delighted by the turn of events. Instead of being cancelled, it is able to return despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The Queen wrote: "I send my best wishes to the thousands of racing professionals and enthusiasts who will join me in celebrating this year's Royal Ascot." She added, "In these challenging times, we are once again delighted to welcome the best horses and jockeys from across the world and pay tribute to those who have helped make this race meeting possible."

She also wrote that she is sure that the event will not be the same this year. Apart from being a race event, it was usually a time for family and friends to gather together while having fun in a shared passion.

The Queen however did not end the speech without a personal recognition of the event organizers, including the owner, trainers, staff. Although it is being held in an unconventional manner in an unconventional time, Queen Elizabeth is sure that this would still remain to be one of Britain's finest sporting occasions.

She also hopes that race participants will have an "enjoyable and unique week" of racing.

This might be her favorite event, but for months now, the Queen has to suffer one loss after another because of the virus. Whiles she continues to work in isolation, this does not mean she is not feeling the pangs of loss every time one of her events is cancelled. She even spent her 94th birthday in lockdown. The whole celebration had to be scaled back too.