Queen Camilla’s health has been the subject of much discussion recently. She was forced to miss the all-important Remembrance Day commemorations a few weeks back and pulled out of appearing at the annual Royal Variety Performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday.
Of her absence from the latter, a Royal Family spokesperson said, “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritize sufficient rest. With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned” (per GB News).
Despite the Queen’s absence, the attendees spoke of her fondly and wished her a speedy recovery. Eight-year-old Iris King-Taylor and ten-year-old Louie Cooper presented Charles with flowers upon his arrival at the event, which he gratefully accepted on behalf of his wife.
Most recently, however, she missed the Sunday, Nov. 13 service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk as her husband, King Charles III, attended alone. The king braved the wrath of Storm Bert, which has raged throughout the United Kingdom, bringing heavy rainfall and gale-force winds of over 75 miles per hour to the country.
Despite Met Office warnings for people to remain indoors, and in light of recent concerns for his sickly look in recent public appearances amid his cancer battle, Charles appeared in good spirits at the service wearing a charcoal grey suit and winter wool coat, waving at enthusiastic spectators who had flocked to the event to catch a glimpse of him.
As a result of the queen’s chest infection, a palace insider also revealed to GB News that Camilla coughs whenever she attempts to speak but insists there is no cause for alarm as she is “on good form.” The source told the news station that Camilla is “a great believer that the show must go on and hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon” and that she “sensibly” opted to follow a medical professional’s advice and miss the Royal Variety Performance due to its lateness and length. That advice carried through to Sunday.
Another royal source told the Mail that the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved.” They also revealed that while she’s undoubtedly getting better, she still feels a little under the weather, so she should stay home and rest until she returns to full health.
The Royal Family has endured a difficult 2024 regarding their collective health. In addition to Camilla’s ongoing issues and Charles’ cancer battle, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been undergoing treatment for the horrible disease (and is thankfully in remission as of September). Thankfully, Camilla’s issues seem relatively minor, and she should return to normal quickly despite the widespread alarm in the media. We wish all three of them well in their respective recoveries and hope to see the queen making public appearances soon.