The Queen will not attend the annual Commonwealth Day service due to be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday 14 March, Buckingham Palace has announced.
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The Palace confirmed the news on Friday, revealing that after discussing the arrangements with the Royal Household, the Queen has asked Prince Charles to represent Her Majesty at the Commonwealth Service. The service will also be attended by the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Alexandra.
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The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will no longer attend, following The Duke’s positive test for Covid.
HELLO! understands that there were concerns about the Queen's comfort where it came to travel arrangements; she has also recently complained of having mobility issues.
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It is thought that the Queen will continue with other planned engagements, including in-person audiences, in the week ahead.
The decision also comes after the 95-year-old marked her return to in-person engagements following her COVID diagnosis.
The monarch met with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau earlier this week
She tested positive for coronavirus on 20 February and a statement from Buckingham Palace revealed she was experiencing "mild cold-like symptoms".
HRH cancelled some events in order to rest before returning to work by holding some virtual audiences, including speaking with the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, Vishnu Dhanpaul, via video link from Windsor Castle.
Her first meeting back was with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Monday 7 March, and a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers behind her was widely interpreted as an homage to the Ukrainian flag.
The monarch has a string of high-profile in-person events coming up which she is due to attend, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service, also at Westminster Abbey, on 29 March.
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