Queen forced to cancel engagements for first time because of Covid-19

Cancellations of public events are 'radical departure' for the monarch, and even Trooping the Colour in doubt

The Queen has cancelled her public engagements due to a national crisis for the first time in her 68-year-reign.

Royal watchers said it was unprecedented for the Queen to call off her two public engagements later this month and to review future diary commitments. The move came as the government formally moved from the "contain" to the "delay" stage of the coronavirus "battle plan".