Why Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip living together since March is unprecedented

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have been married for more than seven decades, so it might come as a surprise that living together since March marks probably the first time they have spent so many months together.

The British monarch and Prince Philip have been isolating together since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March. The Duke of Edinburgh joined his wife of 72 years at their official residence Buckingham Palace, from where they headed to Windsor Castle in Berkshire for their annual winter holiday.

As the holiday was shortly followed by the nationwide lockdown in the United Kingdom, the monarch couple stayed at the castle till August, before flying to Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, for their annual summer holiday.

After spending the vacation with the British royal family, the couple is reportedly cutting their trip short to move together to Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Spending most of the year together is a big change for the pair, who usually live under separate roofs. As per the report, they are said to have really enjoyed their unexpected time together this year.

While Queen Elizabeth II usually resides in Buckingham Palace in London, Prince Philip spends most of his year in the countryside more than 100 miles away. The 99-year-old relocated to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate after retiring from public duties in 2017.

According to the Mirror, he has actually only spent a "handful of nights" in London since he stepped down from royal duties. The royal, who will celebrate his milestone birthday of a century next year, shifted to Wood Farm so that he can enjoy his retirement and really relax as he is said to enjoy living outside the spotlight, away from the cameras and restrictions of royal life.

According to the report, he spends his time reading, painting with watercolours, entertaining friends, and enjoying peace and tranquility. Despite living miles away, the couple tries to make time for each other as much as the queen's schedule allows.

However, the queen is accompanying her husband to the farm this time and will live there for about a month before heading back to Windsor so that she can easily commute to Buckingham Palace for her official duties. The palace officials are reportedly trying to create a "bubble" between Sandringham and Windsor Castle so that the couple can still see each other frequently.

"The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will depart Balmoral Castle during the week commencing September 14 to spend time privately on the Sandringham Estate. Subject to the finalisation of the autumn programme, Her Majesty's intention is to return to Windsor Castle in October and to resume the use of Buckingham Palace for selected audiences and engagements," the Buckingham Palace said in a statement.