Why Queen Elizabeth Won't Be Seen At Landmark Ceremony

Queen Elizabeth has been making a gradual return to public life after an embattled bout of COVID-19, but her recent announcement that she will not be attending a major upcoming event has some wondering if she’s not as healthy as everyone has hoped.

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The Queen Pulls Out Of Easter Service

The palace just announced that Queen Elizabeth will not be attending the Maundy Day church service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor later this week. The annual service is an important royal event, and her absence marks only the fifth time she’s missed it in her 70-year reign.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles will represent the queen this year. The prince will follow the ancient tradition of giving out Maundy money to the community, and he and Parker Bowles will meet with the Dean of Windsor and the Lord High Almoner.

In past years when she was absent, the queen has been represented at the Maundy Day service by the Queen Mother and Princess Mary. This is the first time Prince Charles will step in to represent his mother at the service.

Why Is She Missing It?

It has not been announced why Queen Elizabeth decided to step down from this royal engagement, but it is most likely linked to her ongoing mobility issues. The queen was unable to commit to the event, as the service events were still being discussed.

It is said that she wanted to confirm that she would not be attending early on, so as not to overshadow the day’s events with a last-minute cancellation. Even though she will not be attending this service, the queen still intends to hold virtual meetings over video calls.

The Maundy Day service is not the first event Queen Elizabeth has had to pull out of. The most high-profile one was the annual Commonwealth Day ceremony. However, the queen appears to be overcoming any health issues.

Even though she has been seen using a walking stick and golf cart to help her get around, Queen Elizabeth walked mostly unaided at the Service of Thanksgiving for her late husband, Prince Philip, last month.

The queen’s absence from this Easter service is notable, but all signs point to her still being in good health. The monarch seems to be trying to plan ahead for future royal engagements so as not to have to pull out at the last minute. Queen Elizabeth might be missing from this year’s Maundy Day service, but we are sure to see more of her in the coming weeks, especially as we get closer to her Jubilee celebration this summer.