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Queen Elizabeth will give a televised address about the coronavirus on Sunday evening at 8pm, Buckingham Palace has announced. It's understood to be just the fourth special address in her 68-year reign.
The Queen has already recorded the broadcast to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, which will be carried on most television channels, as well as on radio and the royal family's social media channels.
On Sunday 5th April at 8pm (BST) Her Majesty The Queen will address the UK and the Commonwealth in a televised broadcast. As well as on television and radio, The Queen’s address will be shown on The @RoyalFamily’s social media channels.
The palace announcement came as the number of people in the UK who have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, rose by 684, the highest daily jump recorded so far. That takes the total number of confirmed dead to 3,605, with 38,168 confirmed cases.
Two weeks ago the Queen issued a written message, praising scientists, medics and emergency staffers and saying the UK was “entering a period of great concern and uncertainty”.
The Queen's eldest son, Prince Charles, tested positive for the coronavirus and is now out of self-isolation after displaying mild symptoms.
Chris Ship, royal correspondent for ITV News, said the Queen's only previous special addresses were in 1991 during the Gulf War, 1997 after the death of Princess Diana, and 2002 after the death of the Queen Mother.
As far as I can tell, this would only be the fourth special address the Queen has made: 1991 Gulf War 1997 death of Princess Diana 2002 Queen Mother's Funeral