Coronavirus: Photo of Queen on phone to Boris Johnson vital for boosting UK morale in coming weeks
Everything we see from the Royal Family in the coming weeks will aim to rally the UK and give reassurance, writes Rhiannon Mills.
Thursday 26 March 2020 12:26, UK
In these unsettling times there was something reassuring about seeing the Queen in her bright purple blouse and cardigan talking on a phone that looked like it was from another era, surrounded by her favourite ornaments of corgis and horses.
And just looking at the discussions on social media about how old her telephone was it seemed for some it provided a temporary distraction from the uncertainty we're all feeling right now.
But more significantly the photograph was a PR triumph for the palace on two levels.
On the day that we found out Prince Charles has got coronavirus, there was understandably concern about when the heir to the throne last saw his 93-year-old mother.
Clarence House has said the prince is working at his desk as usual, and has received hundreds of 'get well' wishes - a mixture of cards but mostly digital messages.
The palace told us the Queen was in good health but won't tell us if she's been tested.
So a photograph of Her Majesty looking well, was the perfect antidote before any conspiracies about her health started to swirl.
But the photographs of her on the telephone to Boris Johnso, and the PM on the phone to her, were also an important display of our country's constitutional monarchy at work and the significance of the contact between the Queen and her prime minister during times of national crisis.
It is the first time we've ever seen pictures of that most private of meetings.
A special time each week, when a prime minister can share their inner most thoughts on the challenges they face.
Being able to draw on the immense experience of Britain's longest serving monarch, who during her 68-year reign has witnessed so many tumultuous events, must feel like some solace for her 14th prime minister.
The Royal Family may have a very privileged life but like the rest of us they are having to adjust, especially how they work.
At times like this we'd normally expect to see them out and about, meeting people on the frontline, but the fact that Prince Charles has the virus highlights why that simply isn't possible.
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Everything that we will see from the Royal Family in the coming weeks and months will be deliberately planned, with the palace and the government working together to use the monarchy to rally the country and provide reassurance.
The Queen's private secretaries and her prime minister know that any action, words, photographs or television broadcasts may be vital for boosting morale in the coming weeks, to be deployed when the time is right.