The Queen had a big smile on her face as she greeted Liz Truss, the 15th Prime Minister of her 70-year reign, in the drawing room of Balmoral Castle on Tuesday, but appeared frail with a cane in her left hand. rice field.
Official photos of the historic moment also showed the 96-year-old monarch had an ominous dark purple birthmark on the top of his right hand. Whether it was the result of the fall or the removal of the cannula, Palace has not commented, which caused public concern.
After all, the event was already a departure from tradition in that the reception of Boris Johnson’s resignation and the new prime minister’s “hand kiss” took place at the Queen’s Scottish retreat, rather than at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. The palace said the decision was due to the Queen’s “temporary” travel issues.A further unusual announcement was made the next day.
A virtual meeting of the Privy Council held via video link to allow for the swearing-in of new ministers has been postponed. “After a full day yesterday, Her Majesty has accepted the doctor’s advice to rest this afternoon,” the Palace said. means that
By Thursday morning, an assessment from Sir Hugh Thomas, Head of Medical Households and Queen’s Physician, had become more serious. “Following further tests this morning, the Queen’s physicians are concerned about Her Majesty’s health and have advised her to remain under the supervision of her physicians,” the royal family said. increase.”
Unlike her father, who was a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer at the age of 56, the Queen remained healthy for most of her life and continued to ride horses until the age of 96, even against the advice of doctors. She likes gin and Dubonnet, but her drinking is modest.Prince Philip gave up her smoking habit on her wedding day at her behest, and episodes of illness in her long life have been more frequent than expected. It wasn’t serious.
In 1949, Prince Charles’ baby contracted measles. In July of 1982, I had a troublesome wisdom tooth extracted.
In 1994, he broke his left wrist after a horse tripped while riding at Sandringham, Norfolk, and had knee surgery again in 2003 and 2004. Also in 2013 he was hospitalized with gastroenteritis.
In 2016, at the age of 90, the time finally came when she was forced to use the elevator to enter the Houses of Parliament instead of climbing the 26 royal steps at the monarch’s entrance. It seemed that he had caught up with the country’s longest-reigning monarch. for state openings. That year, the royal couple also caught a cold and were unable to attend Christmas services for the first time in 28 years. I was successful as a day patient.
While I fully supported my husband’s decision to retire from public service in 2017 at the age of 96, I had no doubts that the then 91-year-old would hand over the reins to Charles. But the pace of her work schedule has inevitably slowed down.
During her reign, the Queen visited 117 countries, the equivalent of 42 trips around the world. of the federal head of government. It was her one of 341 royal events that year, but in 2016 the number of engagements dropped to her 332, and in 2017 she dropped to 292. Over her next two years, she had 293 and 295 engagements respectively before Covid hit the royal family. The couple have been quarantined, but the Queen told the British public, ‘We will meet again,’ in her special televised address on the pandemic in April 2020, echoing the words of Vera Lynn’s wartime song. rice field.
Yet, although the palace sometimes seemed unwilling to admit it, the monarch’s health has deteriorated significantly in the past two years, which have left the scars of the pandemic, especially since Philippe’s death on April 9, 2021. . In her October of that year, the Queen unveiled her royal cane at a service at Westminster Abbey to mark her 100th anniversary of her British Legion.
A week later, the Royal Palace canceled a visit to Northern Ireland on the advice of a doctor. Buckingham Palace said the Queen was “in good spirits” but that she “reluctantly accepted medical advice” to rest for the next few days. In fact, she was secretly hospitalized for a “preliminary investigation”. It was her first hospitalization since she developed gastroenteritis eight years ago.
The BBC’s royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, was among those critical of the lack of transparency. “We were led by Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to believe that the Queen was resting at Windsor Castle,” he said at the time. , we were telling it to our viewers and listeners, and newspaper readers, but in reality, she was in the hospital and undergoing what is now called a “preliminary investigation.” ” There was no further explanation from the royal family.
More cancellations followed. The Queen did not travel to Glasgow to speak at her COP26 climate summit in October 2021, but instead she filmed a short speech at a reception for leaders. She pleaded with those gathered to act to address the climate crisis.
Until the last minute, it was hoped that the Queen would attend a memorial service on Remembrance Sunday the following month, but once again the palace turned up at the London Cenotaph on 11 November after she suffered a last-minute sprain. I was forced to lament that I didn’t show back. She was absent only six other times at her memorial service during the Queen’s reign. She visited Ghana in 1961, Brazil in 1968, Kenya in 1983 and South Africa in 1999. She is pregnant with her two youngest children.
For the next three months, the Queen performed only light duties interspersed with virtual and in-person audiences within the confines of Windsor Castle. His Christmas Day speech that year was a moving one in light of Covid. “Christmas is a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, but it can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. Especially this year, I can see why.”
In February 2022, at her first major public event since October, the Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, meeting charity officials at Sandringham House and cutting a jubilee cake covered in thick icing. “I think she might just put the knife in,” she joked, “someone else can do the rest.”
She appeared to be in good health, but was a little stiff. She was asked how she was doing. The Queen with her cane pointed to her own left leg and replied, “As you can see, I cannot move.”
A few days later, on 20 February, the Queen tested positive for Covid. She had mild cold-like symptoms, but the virus was said to have left her “very tired and exhausted”. I declined the Commonwealth Day service held on Sunday and did not attend the Maundy Thursday service. But the Queen rallied to honor her late husband. At the last minute, a decision was made to take her family to the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial in Westminster Abbey. She slowly took her seat, supported by her son, Prince Andrew.
Special arrangements were made for the Queen’s comfort, services were limited to 40 minutes, and the monarch sat in one of Canada’s chairs, but with extra cushions. I avoided taking pictures of Two months after that, the Queen missed the opening of state legislatures for the first time in nearly 60 years.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge opened Parliament on behalf of the King, and for the first time in history Charles read the Queen’s speech.
Since then, royal appearances have been fleeting and sporadic. Appeared as
With a 10-minute surprise appearance to officially open the Elizabeth Line at Paddington station, the monarch showed up at the Chelsea Flower Show in a high-tech golf buggy.
The Queen is believed to have traveled to Scotland in July as part of her annual summer routine, but it was announced that the military welcome in Balmoral would be held privately for her “consolation”.
He intended to return to London for a new prime minister, but two weeks ago his plans changed. It is located in Balmoral, said to be her favorite royal residence, and the first prime minister was Winston Churchill. requested to do so.