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The Queen will not attend the Epsom Derby tomorrow, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The monarch, who is said to be ‘fine’ despite the announcement, is however expected to watch the major sporting event on television from Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
The news comes after Her Majesty was forced to pull out of today’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, with Buckingham Palace saying she was suffering from ‘discomfort’ following her appearances yesterday.
The Queen appeared twice on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch Trooping the Colour and the flypast of 71 aircraft and then travelled back to Windsor Castle to light the first in a chain of more than 3,500 Platinum Jubilee beacons.
The Queen has been forced to cancel a string of engagements in recent months and most recently missed the State Opening of Parliament in May. Her son, Prince Charles, and grandson, Prince William, stood in for her.
Today’s service at St Paul’s was attended by more than 2,000 guests, including senior royals and politicians.
Harry and Meghan Markle were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla, with royal aides ensuring they sat on the other side of the aisle – and they later left separately.
Straight afterwards, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate arrived for a reception the nearby Guildhall.
The Duchess of Cambridge is said to have told an attendee the Queen is ‘fine’ but had found the day ‘very tiring’.
Gill Smallwood, from Bolton spoke with Kate and asked how the Queen was doing.
Ms Smallwood said of the conversation: ‘She [Kate] said ‘yes, she was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday, and she (the Queen) had had a lovely, lovely time’.’
Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.
And aides would have been delighted that today’s service passed without any such incident or negative ‘optics’ given the attempts to ensure today was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.
The Queen will not attend the Epsom Derby tomorrow, Buckingham Palace has announced. The news comes after Her Majesty was forced to pull out of today’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
The news comes after Her Majesty was forced to pull out of today’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, with Buckingham Palace saying she was suffering from ‘discomfort’ following her appearances yesterday. Above: Her Majesty during yesterday’s flypast
The Queen – a passionate horse owner and breeder – would have been looking forward to seeing her horse running on Saturday during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Despite ‘episodic’ mobility issues that forced her to miss the State Opening of Parliament, Her Majesty has attended a string of engagements in recent weeks, including the Chelsea Flower Show and the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Her appearances yesterday delighted Britons who had turned out in the tens of thousands in central London and Windsor in the hope of catching a glimpse of Her Majesty.
Today’s Guildhall attendee Ms Smallwood added that Kate also said Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte also ‘had a lovely time’ at yesterday’s celebrations.
All three Cambridge children appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony, with Prince Louis, aged four, delighting fans with his animated display.
Ms Smallwood, chief executive of domestic violence charity Fortalice, was made an MBE in the New Year honours and was among those invited to the St Paul’s service and a reception at the Guildhall afterwards.
She said it had been a ‘real honour’ to be at the service and described it as ‘absolutely beautiful’.
The announcement that she would not attend the St Paul’s service came before she lit the principle beacon at Windsor Castle.
The Palace said: ‘The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort.’
In a full statement a spokesperson added: ‘Taking into account the journey and activity required participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.’
‘The Queen is looking forward to participating in tonight’s Beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle and would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.’
Today’s announcement about Her Majesty missing the Epsom Derby is the latest sign of the problems caused by the monarch’s advancing age.
In May, she was forced to miss the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years, due to what her spokesman described as ‘episodic mobility problems’ which they said she was continuing to experience.
The only other times she had missed the hugely important occasion were in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.
In her place, Prince Charles, who was accompanied by Prince William, read her speech for the first time as the Queen watched on TV from Windsor Castle, but the Sovereign’s Throne in the House of Lords remained symbolically empty.
It came after she had to skip the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in mid-March due to her physical struggles and also did not attend the traditional Maundy Thursday service at Windsor Castle.
The Queen’s health took a turn for the worse after her husband Prince Philip’s death last April.
The head of state is a passionate horse owner and breeder and would have been looking forward to seeing her horse running on Saturday during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Above: Hukum ridden by Jim Crowley wins the Dahlbury Coronation Cup on Ladies Day during the Cazoo Derby Festival 2022 at Epsom Racecourse today
(From left) Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, Camilla, Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Sophie, Countess of Wessex at Buckingham Palace today
The Queen smiles as Prince Louis covers his ears during the flypast over Buckingham Palace in London yesterday afternoon
The Queen approaches the Commonwealth Nations Globe to start the lighting ceremony at Windsor Castle yesterday evening, despite suffering from ‘discomfort’
As the sovereign placed her finger on the globe, bright white lights raced along the Quadrangle towards Windsor’s famous Round Tower
In October 2021 – after working ten of the previous 20 days – she spent a rare night in hospital that forced her to miss a visit to Northern Ireland.
But she was back at her desk within hours of being discharged, despite having to cancel an appearance at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow.
In February, she tested positive for Covid-19 which prompted her to cancel a series of engagements, including virtual audiences. She suffered from what were described as ‘mild, cold-like symptoms’.
The Queen, who in recent weeks has used a walking stick – including at yesterday’s events – was told by doctors to rest for three months.
She gave a hint about her health when she remarked during an audience at Windsor Castle in February: ‘Well, as you can see, I can’t move.’
She later admitted that covid had left her exhausted.
Her Majesty’s hopes of winning on Epsom Derby day have already come to an end after her only runner was pulled out of a race.
Just Fine had been entered to feature in the penultimate race, the World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap, staged over the full Derby course and distance of one mile and four furlongs.
However, it was removed at Thursday’s 48-hour declaration stage.
In May, her horse Reach For The Moon, who was among the favourites, and two others were withdrawn.
The Jockey Club announced the three thoroughbreds were among a large number who had been ‘scratched’ from the entry list.
Thoroughbreds owned by the Queen have won four out of the five flat racing classics – the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger – with only the Derby eluding her.
Phil White, London regional director for The Jockey Club, said today: ‘We would like to wish Her Majesty The Queen a wonderful Platinum Jubilee.
‘It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom Downs but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television.
‘We have big plans to celebrate Her Majesty’s contribution to horseracing and the nation, and these will continue in full tomorrow.
‘The Derby is a unique race and we are looking forward to welcoming people in their thousands to help us create a spectacular carnival atmosphere.’
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