Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Camilla will be unable to fulfill her public engagements this week due to illness.
In a statement released on November 5, a palace spokesperson revealed that Her Majesty is currently battling a chest infection and has been advised by her doctors to take a short period of rest.
“With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week,” the spokesperson stated. “She very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal.” The queen expressed her apologies to those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed by her absence.
The 77-year-old queen was scheduled to participate in the opening ceremony of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on November 7, a poignant annual event where individuals plant poppies to honor the lives lost in the Armed Forces. Camilla has served as the patron of The Poppy Factory, the organization responsible for coordinating the ceremony since its inception in 1928.
In her absence, Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, will stand in for the queen at this year’s Field of Remembrance event. The duchess, a full-time working member of the royal family and married to the late Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, has graciously agreed to take on this important role.
Additionally, Queen Camilla will miss a reception for Olympic and Paralympic medalists scheduled on November 7 at Buckingham Palace, which she was set to co-host alongside her husband, King Charles III.
