Queen Elizabeth’s 68-year reign as a monarch is “effectively over” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has “practically put Charles on the throne,” a royal biographer is saying.

Royal expert Andrew Morton said that the coronavirus pandemic has “done more damage to the monarchy than Oliver Cromwell,” as it has made it “too risky” for the 94 year-old Queen to ever resume her duties.

“It’s terribly sad but I can’t see how the Queen can resume her job. The COVID-19 virus isn’t going away soon and will be with us for months if not years,” Morton said, adding that it would be “far too risky for the Queen to start meeting people on a regular basis.”

“She has always loved getting out and meeting people but she can’t take the risk,” he explained, according to Daily Mail. “The brutal truth is that her reign is effectively over. COVID-19 has done more damage to the monarchy than Oliver Cromwell. Corona has practically put Charles on the throne.”

Morton had previously expressed fears that the Queen would never be able to resume her duties and would only be seen on television or video links going forward. The Queen’s last public engagement was at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March, and she has been in isolation at Windsor Castle with her 99 year-old husband Prince Philip ever since.

“The Queen won’t do anything which goes against the advice of people in her [age] category and she’s going to take all the appropriate advice… she’d want to be seen to be being responsible in her actions,” a royal source recently said.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said last month that the Queen has stayed “busy” in quarantine with her weekly meetings with the Prime Minister by phone and by receiving her daily red boxes of Government papers. The spokesperson added that the Queen will “follow appropriate advice on engagements” and is spending her free time keeping in touch with family and friends via video calls.

The Queen has been on the throne since 1952, and the next in line for the throne is her oldest son Prince Charles, who is 71 years-old. Third in line is 37 year-old Prince William, followed by his 6 year-old son Prince George.