Queen Elizabeth will not attend Sunday’s Easter service with the royal family, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.
The palace didn’t give a reason. Multiple sources cited the queen’s continued mobility problems as a contributing factor.
The news comes days after the palace announced that the queen would not attend Thursday’s Royal Maundy Service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, stood in for the sovereign.
Town & Country reporter Victoria Murphy said when Thursday’s cancellation was announced that it was understood the queen “was unable to commit to this event in advance and was keen to avoid overshadowing the event on the day.” The palace didn’t explain the decision.
The queen, who turns 96 next week, has experienced a variety of ailments over the past few months. She was hospitalized in October and was advised to take two weeks of rest, leading to numerous in-person engagement cancellations.
Later in February, the queen tested positive for COVID-19, shortly after both Charles and Camilla reported positive results. The palace said at the time that the monarch was “experiencing mild cold like symptoms” and expected to “continue light duties” at her home.
Elizabeth talked about her symptoms last week during a virtual appearance on behalf of the opening of Royal London Hospital’s Queen Elizabeth Unit.
“It does leave one very tired and exhausted, doesn’t it?” the queen said. “This horrible pandemic. It’s not a nice result.”
Despite her health setbacks, the queen in March attended a service of thanksgiving honoring her late husband, Prince Philip.
The outing, which she attended on the arm of the disgraced Duke of York while walking with a cane, marked her first in-person public appearance in five months.
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