Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of Wales are set to marry on May 19, 2018, at Windsor Castle. That is, if the venue has been cleared for crowds.
In early February 2018, the official British Monarchy website shared that the Bird Flu is in full effect on the Windsor grounds. So far, more than 20 swans have died from Bird Flu and it is said that is only the beginning of the deaths.
Scientists and staff of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are prioritizing the Windsor Castle grounds’ inspection of H5N6 avian influenza, more commonly known as Bird Flu. The Bird Flu is highly contagious among birds and is almost always deadly. The scariest part is that it can also be deadly to humans and other mammals.
For now, DEFRA is investigating the royal grounds and testing many of the swans that are there. Both local and wild swans are dying as Bird Flu is a highly fatal disease.
David Barber, The Queen’s official Swan Marker (duties include carrying out the yearly census of specific breeds of swans) has shared that many more birds will die and, unfortunately, nothing can be done to stop the virus.
The Queen and the Swan Marker are prioritizing Windsor Castle’s Bird Flu outbreak as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quickly approaches. The wedding is expected to draw out quite the crowd, and The Queen is desperate to make sure guests are not disrupted by the deadly flu virus.
At the point, time is the only cure for the flu. The Queen and other notable public figures are being advised to steer clear of Windsor Castle.