Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Queen Elizabeth To Miss Commonwealth Day Service Monday

Queen Elizabeth To Miss Commonwealth Day Service Monday

The Queen had been scheduled to attend the annual event at Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday afternoon, joined by some 1,500 guests.

Queen Elizabeth II's heralded return to major public duties has been put on hold, as royal officials announced Friday she would not attend next week's Commonwealth Day service.

The 95-year-old monarch had been scheduled to attend the annual event at Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday afternoon, joined by some 1,500 guests.

Her expected attendance had been seen as a return to work after a period of fragile health, during which she had a mild bout of Covid.

But Buckingham Palace said "after discussing the arrangements with the Royal Household, the Queen has asked the Prince of Wales to represent Her Majesty" instead.

Prince Charles, 73, is the queen's eldest son and heir, who is expected to take over from her as head of the 54-nation Commonwealth when he becomes king.

The queen, who has rarely been seen in public since October last year when she had an unscheduled overnight stay in hospital, turns 96 next month.

She tested positive for coronavirus on February 20, and developed what the palace said were "mild" Covid symptoms, which forced her to cancel a series of virtual audiences.

But she was well enough last week to meet visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in person at her Windsor Castle home west of London.

The palace gave no reason for her pull-out of Monday's event, adding: "The Queen will continue with other planned engagements, including in-person audiences, in the week ahead."

The queen last month became the first British monarch in history to reign for 70 years. Public events for her Platinum Jubilee are planned for early June.

She is the queen and head of state in Britain and 14 other Commonwealth nations or realms around the world, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Her position as head of the Commonwealth grouping, which comprises about a quarter of the world's population, has made her an enduring global figure.

 Key event


Doctors advised Elizabeth to slow down after her hospital stay, and she began cancelling a series of high-profile events.

In November, she pulled out of hosting world leaders at a UN climate change summit in Glasgow, and cancelled an appearance at the Remembrance Day parade due to a bad back.

She has been seen using a walking stick for the first time, and heard complaining about mobility issues, even before her Covid diagnosis.

Asked about her health, Trudeau -- in London for talks on Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- gave no indication of concern, saying she was "very interested" in current events.

But her non-attendance at a key event in the royal calendar will inevitably cause concern, with a forthcoming memorial service for her late husband, Prince Philip, due to take place on March 29.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who was married to the queen for 73 years, died aged 99 last April, just weeks short of his 100th birthday.

Great efforts have been made to protect the queen from the coronavirus pandemic and she has spent much of the past two years at Windsor, with few in-person engagements.

Even Philip's funeral was held under strict coronavirus restrictions, with just 30 mourners.

Monday's event would have seen her alongside Charles, other senior royals, as well as leading British politicians, and senior foreign diplomats.

The last Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey was held in March 2020, as coronavirus cases spiralled and just before Britain locked down for the first time.

It was also the last royal event attended by the queen's grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, before their shock departure from the United States.

Her Platinum Jubilee year has not got off to the best of starts.

Her second son Prince Andrew settled a US civil claim for sexual assault, and police have announced a probe into one of Charles' charities.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×