Queen unable to attend Remembrance events due to illness

The Queen will miss Remembrance events this weekend while she recovers from a chest infection, Buckingham Palace has said.

A statement said Queen Camilla was "following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk".

The Queen, who is 77, will "mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week".

On Friday, it was confirmed the Princess of Wales would attend Remembrance events in London this weekend as Catherine gradually returns to public duties following her cancer treatment. 

The Buckingham Palace statement said: "Following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk, Her Majesty will not attend this weekend’s Remembrance events."

"While this is a source of great disappointment to the Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week."

The Queen will not join the rest of the Royal Family in attending the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening or the Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

King Charles, who is still receiving cancer treatment, will lay a wreath on behalf of the nation at the memorial in Whitehall, central London.

The Queen had already withdrawn from events earlier in the week but it had been hoped she would be able to attend weekend Remembrance events.

It is understood that there is no cause for alarm and no downturn in her condition, but that her doctors have advised a few more days of rest to enable a return to full health.

Queen Camilla is said to be disappointed that she will be unable to pay tribute to the nation’s fallen service personnel this weekend, but that she is mindful of minimising the risk of passing on any lingering infection to the elderly veterans in attendance.

The Queen missed the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, where she was instead represented by the Duchess of Gloucester.

She also withdrew from a Buckingham Palace reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, which was hosted by the King on Thursday evening.

The Queen returned to the UK last Wednesday after a trip with the King to Australia and Samoa, which included a stopover in India on the way back.

King Charles received a cancer diagnosis in February. His treatment was paused during his overseas trip but was expected to begin again on his return to the UK.

Prince William on Thursday described the past year as the "hardest year" of his life following both his wife and his father being diagnosed with cancer.

"I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done," he told reporters at the end of his visit to South Africa to promote his Earthshot eco-project.

"But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”