Resting up! Queen Elizabeth II canceled her regular duties as monarch of the United Kingdom, skipping the Remembrance Day Service on Sunday, November 14.
After a back injury, the 95-year-old royal decided to pass on attending the annual service, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace on Sunday.
“The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph,” the statement read. “Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.”
The monarch’s eldest son, Prince Charles, laid a wreath during the ceremony in her absence. Additionally, Duchess Camilla, Prince William and Duchess Kate attended the occasion alongside other royal family members.
Buckingham Palace previously announced the queen’s participation at the event in a statement on Thursday, November 11 — but pointed out that she would be canceling a second scheduled outing the following week.
Her Majesty is “mindful of her doctors’ recent advice,” the palace said at the time, noting she will not be attending the General Synod Service and Opening Session, scheduled for Tuesday, November 16.
The queen’s return to duty on Sunday came after she made headlines for using a cane in early October. She later canceled her planned trip to Northern Ireland on October 20, per the advice of her medical team.
“The queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days,” the palace said in a statement at the time, noting that Elizabeth was “disappointed” to miss her royal engagements in Ireland.
One day later, it was revealed that the longest reigning British monarch had spent one night in the hospital to undergo some “preliminary investigations,” according to the palace.
Her Majesty’s health scare sent her grandson Prince Harry into “panic mode,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly last month.
“He felt helpless being 5,000 miles away in Montecito, [California,] and has been checking in nonstop with her,” the insider said, noting that the 37-year-old prince still “feels guilty” about not saying goodbye to his late grandfather Prince Philip before his April passing.
Harry would “never forgive himself if the same thing happened with his beloved grandmother,” the source added.
The 39-year-old Duke of Cambridge’s family, for their part, have been tending to the queen following her health scare. “[Duchess] Kate sent the queen a huge bouquet of flowers from her family,” a source previously told Us. Their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, “made ‘get well soon’ cards.”
The monarch briefly returned to work on October 26, meeting virtually with two ambassadors from her home at Windsor Castle. She was then told by her doctors to take “at least” two weeks to rest before making any public appearances.
“Her Majesty can continue to undertake light, desk-based duties during this time, including some virtual audiences, but not to undertake any official visits,” the palace said in a statement on October 29.
The palace explained at the time that the queen would not be attending the Festival of Remembrance that took place on Saturday, November 13.
Amid her rest from public outings, the queen has been spotted driving around the Windsor estate.
Earlier this week, Prince Charles gave a brief update on his mother’s condition, telling a crowd of people at the Prince’s Trust in South London on Thursday, “She’s alright, thank you.”
Scroll below to see more of the family’s photos from the service:
