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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Fahey

Queen, 95, has become so frail she's unable to walk her beloved dogs, aides say

The Queen has become so frail she is unable to walk her beloved corgis, according to her aides.

Queen Elizabeth II, has owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime, but she has not taken her dogs for a walk at Windsor Castle for six months.

The claims come after Buckingham Palace announced she will not attend the Commonwealth Day service on Monday.

The Palace did not give a specific reason for her planned absence from the event.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have also cancelled their attendance because the duke has tested positive for COVID-19.

A historic picture shows the Queen and her corgis in 1960 (Getty Images)

It's thought the Queen may never be well enough to walk them again, The Sun reports.

A palace source said: “She is not well enough.

“The Queen usually turns to her beloved corgis in time of crisis and stress and took them out almost every day after Philip fell ill and then died last year.

"They are an enormous source of solace, so it is a real shame.”

The Queen has always found solace in her loyal pet pooches, particularly in the aftermath of the death of her husband Prince Philip in April last year

In her absence, palace aides now take her two corgis and dorgi out for their daily exercise, sources claim.

Palace aides now walk The Queen's beloved dogs (Getty Images)
The Queen currently owns two corgis and a dorgi (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

A senior royal source said: “Dogs remain very much part of Windsor life.”

It comes after the Queen cancelled an appearance at Monday’s annual Commonwealth Day service after suffering problems with her mobility.

The 95-year-old monarch is understood to be experiencing increasing discomfort when it comes to getting about.

Her Majesty will instead be represented by the Prince of Wales, Buckingham Palace said.

Aides say it's a 'shame' because the dogs had become an "enormous source of solace" for Her Majesty (REUTERS)

The head of state, who has recently recovered from a bout of Covid, hoped to join Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth event.

The ­decision is not linked to any illness but is related to the Queen’s comfort of getting to and from the service.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Queen has asked the Prince of Wales to represent Her Majesty at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey.”

The service would have been the Queen’s first major public appearance since reaching her Platinum Jubilee milestone, and the first Commonwealth Day service held in full since 2020.

Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said she believed the Queen would be “determined” to make the Thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey dedicated to her late husband Prince Philip on March 29.

Ms Seward said: “It would have been a huge wrench to miss the Commonwealth Day service but she is facing a dilemma these days where she must choose her engagements wisely.

"She will be very determined to make the Duke of Edinburgh’s Thanksgiving service later this month, which will be of incredible importance to her considering his funeral was so scaled back.

“Her Majesty, I believe, is very like her mother, who was reluctant to use a wheelchair, so in her advancing years it’s about projecting herself as much as possible for the big occasions."

The Queen tested positive for Covid on February 20 and Buckingham Palace said at the time she was experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms”.

Last month, she acknowledged her frail condition for the first time during a royal engagement at Windsor Castle.

The Queen told visiting military officials: “As you can see, I can’t move.”

She last met a group of people in public on February 5.

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