Queen Elizabeth is “loving” her “slower pace of life” with her husband, Prince Philip, at Windsor Castle. Although the royal monarch was “forced to put her life on hold” due to the coronavirus pandemic, she couldn’t be happier about the time off at their beloved countryside home, a source exclusively reveals.

“The queen is a workaholic. It’s taken some time for her [to] adapt … but she’s now loving it, and to a certain extent, sees it as a blessing in disguise,” the insider tells Closer Weekly. “She’s turned a negative into a positive.”

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
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Elizabeth, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, have been quarantining at Windsor Castle since the beginning of the outbreak earlier this year. Despite having mixed feelings about leaving her duties at Buckingham Palace behind, the source says Elizabeth knows “it’s now time for her to take a step back and enjoy her retirement.”

It seems Her Majesty is having no problem doing so as she’s partaking in some of her favorite activities, including “horse-riding in Windsor Park,” going on “long walks with Philip” and “switching on the TV to watch her favorite soap operas, like Coronations Street.” The insider adds, “not having to dress to the nines every day” is a huge relief for the iconic royal.

Considering Elizabeth has been ruling England for nearly seven decades since 1953, it can’t be easy for her to walk away from Buckingham Palace. However, “she came to the conclusion that handing over her reigns is the most practical decision” after realizing the seriousness of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

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“Royal aides firmly advised her to avoid taking any risks, which includes not returning to Buckingham Palace for the foreseeable future or at least until a safe vaccine is found,” the source explains. “At 94 years old, the queen isn’t getting any younger. She’s been forced rethink her position.”

The queen and her longtime husband — who tied the knot in 1947 — have been using Windsor Castle as their country home, which Elizabeth first moved into during World War II, throughout their entire marriage. Because Philip has been begging his spouse “to move to Windsor Castle for years” now, “he’s thrilled” about all their recent bonding. “He’s always preferred living in the countryside,” the insider notes.

The royal couple are also making the most of their time as Philip has struggled with some health issues in the last few years. “He doesn’t have the same energy” and he knows he needs to “look after himself,” a previous source told Closer earlier in August. “[Philip] knows his days are numbered and is trying to make the most of the time he has left with the queen.”