The Queen has made her first public appearance after recuperating from a heavy cold.
Her Majesty, who hasn't been seen in public for a month now, visited St Mary Magdalene church on Sunday morning. Dressed in a royal blue ensemble, the 90-year-old monarch looked to be on the mend as she entered the church with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Middleton family while a crowd of 200 people applauded her arrival. It was expected that the monarch may have been well enough to attend the service this week after Princess Anne confirmed to well-wishers last Sunday that her mother was feeling "better". However, Buckingham Palace's last statement on the Queen's health was released last Sunday morning, and read: "The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold."
The Queen made her first appearance since illness
The Queen and Prince Philip changed their travel plans over the Christmas period due to ill health, and took a helicopter to Sandringham rather than their usual training journey from London to King's Lynn in Norfolk. While Prince Philip was well enough to attend the church services by Christmas and New Year's, the Queen missed the annual services for the first time in 28 years while recuperating.
Well-wishers applauded her arrival
Her Majesty has also recently decided to lighten her heavy workload by stepping down as patron from 25 charities. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "Her Majesty is currently Patron of more than 600 organisations and has enjoyed a close and active association with a great number of them throughout her reign. Her Majesty will continue to serve as Patron to hundreds of charities and institutions but will now share this work with her family. Many of the organisations listed below already have other Members of the Royal Family as Vice-Patrons or Presidents which will ensure a smooth transition."