Queen Camilla Withdraws from Engagements Due to Chest Infection

Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Camilla has withdrawn from several planned engagements due to a chest infection. According to the Palace, medical professionals have recommended a brief period of recuperation at home; however, she anticipates being sufficiently recovered to participate in the upcoming Remembrance events over the weekend. The 77-year-old Queen will not be present at the yearly opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday; the Duchess of Gloucester will attend in her stead. Her Majesty returned to the United Kingdom last Wednesday following a journey with the King to Australia and Samoa, which featured a stop in India during their return travel. It is understood that there is no reason for concern, and her intention to participate in weekend engagements indicates a relatively minor ailment, potentially contracted during her extensive travels. The Remembrance events scheduled for the weekend encompass the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and the commemorative service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Sunday morning. However, the Queen will be absent from the Field of Remembrance commemoration on Thursday, an event where she has served as the senior royal in recent years. The Duchess of Gloucester, a 78-year-old working royal married to a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, will deputize for her. This yearly remembrance ceremony involves individuals placing memorials outside Westminster Abbey in honor of those who died while serving in the armed forces. Additionally, the Queen will not attend a reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Buckingham Palace, which King Charles will host on Thursday evening. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer conveyed his wishes for the Queen’s “speed recovery” in a message shared on social media. A statement issued by the Palace regarding the Queen’s health confirmed: “Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.” It continued: “With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week, but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal.” The Queen had previously missed a week of engagements due to illness in February 2023, after testing positive for Covid. This marked her second contraction of the virus, having first experienced it in February 2022. In recent weeks, Her Majesty had accompanied the King on a tour encompassing Australia and Samoa, which featured a Commonwealth summit. Reports indicated she had visited a health spa in India during their return journey. Furthermore, the Queen has recorded a television documentary aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence, scheduled for broadcast next week. King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February. His treatment had been temporarily halted during his overseas travels but was anticipated to resume upon his return to the UK. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.