Doctors have advised the Queen to rest for at least another two weeks and not to undertake any official visits, Buckingham Palace has said.
It means the 95-year-old will not attend the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, though she hopes to be at the Cenotaph for the Remembrance Day service itself.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Following on from their recent advice that the Queen should rest for a few days, Her Majesty’s doctors have advised that she should continue to rest for at least the next two weeks.
“The doctors have advised that Her Majesty can continue to undertake light, desk-based duties during this time, including some virtual audiences, but not to undertake any official visits.
“Her Majesty regrets that this means she will be unable to attend the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday 13 November. However, it remains her firm intention to be present for the national service of remembrance on Remembrance Sunday, on 14 November.”
The Queen’s medical team are taking “sensible precautions”, a source said. She recently underwent tests that necessitated an overnight stay at the King Edward VII hospital in central London.
A source said the Queen remains in “good spirits” and had recorded the Cop26 speech on Friday afternoon which will be played to delegates next week in Glasgow. She was to have hosted a reception for world leaders in Glasgow, which will be attended by other members of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Queen was said to be continuing with light duties and this week had carried out several virtual audiences, but she felt it was sensible to give advance notice and cancel her planned appearance at the Festival of Remembrance so the hosts could make alternative arrangements.
She had already cancelled her planned visit to Cop26 and a two-day visit to Northern Ireland. Though she intends to be at the Cenotaph service, the Prince of Wales will again perform the wreath-laying on her behalf, as he has done since 2017.
