The Queen has pulled out engagements for the Qatari state visit tomorrow as she continues to recover from a chest infection.
Buckingham Palace confirmed today that the royal is suffering from a “nasty” viral infection, which has left her with “lingering side effects”. A spokesperson said in a statement that the Queen has “significantly diminished reserves of energy” which has led doctors to advise changes to her State Visit diary.
The spokesman said: “Her Majesty has had a nasty viral chest infection which – as is not uncommon in such cases – continues to have some lingering side effects, in particular leaving Her Majesty with significantly diminished reserves of energy. As a result, doctors have advised some tweaks to the SV programme for HMQ, as follows: Her Majesty will not now attend the Arrival Ceremony on Horse Guards, but will attend the Arrival Lunch at BP.”
For the State Banquet, Her Majesty will join photographs with the Amir and Sheikha Jawaher, and retire briefly during the receiving line. Her Majesty will attend the dinner. The Queen will join the Farewells on Wednesday. Please note there has been no alteration in any diagnosis or treatment being received.
Her Majesty just needs time to rest and recover fully, which is more challenging with a back-to back diary programme such as the SV. The spokesman added they not currently expecting any substantial changes to her other diary commitments for the rest of the week, though each day is taken as it comes, with guidance from the medical team that in such cases, such post-viral fatigue symptoms can come and go and persist for several weeks.
The Queen’s lingering infection has forced her to pull out of previous events, most noticeably earlier in November, when she missed out on several events commemorating Remembrance Day. She pulled out of the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance and the traditional Cenotaph wreath laying, which King Charles and other UK dignitaries attended.
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She commemorated the event “privately at home” instead. The Queen also pulled out of the Royal Variety Performance last week, with Buckingham Palace having released a statement touching on her lingering symptoms. In a statement ahead of the event, the palace said she “continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms”, and that she would rest on doctors’ advice.
A spokesperson said: “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” She was, however, able to attend some public duties last week, when she hosted a Booker Prize reception at Clarence House.
She told author Percival Everett at the time that she believed she was “on the mend” but added: “These things always take a bit of time to get rid of”. She continued: “You think you’ve got rid of it, then they just sort of hang on for a little bit, but hopefully I’m on the mend now.”
