Queen Elizabethwill miss the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday, the palace announced Friday. Her son and heir,Prince Charles, will represent her at the ceremony.
“After discussing the arrangements with the Royal Household, The Queen has asked The Prince of Wales to represent Her Majesty at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
“The Queen will continue with other planned engagements, including in-person audiences, in the week ahead,” the statement continued.
PEOPLE understands that the Queen’s absence from the Commonwealth Day Service is not related to illness. There were discussions surrounding the monarch’s comfort when it came to her travel arrangements and attending the service.
The monarch has beenusing a walking canesince October and recentlycomplained of mobility issues.
The Queen, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 20, has missed a number of events in recent months due to recent health setbacks.
After canceling a scheduled trip to Northern Ireland under medical advice from her doctors, the monarchspent a night in the hospitalon October 20 and was advised to rest for several weeks following.
Queen Elizabeth.Getty
On March 7, the Queen participated in her first in-person engagement since she was diagnosed with COVID-19, meeting with Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauat Windsor Castle.
The Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey is a highlight of the royal calendar each year. Members of the family — includingPrince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,Prince WilliamandKate Middleton— usually attend.
The Queen has missed the Commonwealth Service before. In 2013, she was forced to cancel her appearance due to an illness.
ThroughoutQueen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign, the Commonwealth has grown from just seven nations to 54 members. During this time, the Queen has undertaken more than 200 visits to Commonwealth countries and visited every country of the Commonwealth (with the exception of Cameroon, which joined in 1995, and Rwanda, which joined in 2009).
Commonwealth Day 2020.Phil Harris - WPA Pool/Getty Images
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The traditional gathering for Commonwealth Day wascanceled in 2021due to the coronavirus pandemic and replaced with a smaller event.
The 2020 service was alsoMeghan MarkleandPrince Harry’slast joint appearance with the familybefore they stepped back from their positions as working royals and relocated to California.
source: people.com
