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The Queen was forced to cancel her two planned virtual engagements yesterday because she is still sounding a ‘little croaky’ and ‘full of cold’ as she continues to isolate with coronavirus, royal sources have revealed.
The 95-year-old head of state, who tested positive on Sunday, also cancelled virtual engagements on Tuesday because she was not feeling well enough – but did hold a telephone audience with Boris Johnson on Wednesday.
Sources said yesterday’s cancellations were made because the monarch ‘understandably still sounds full of cold’, but also stressed that there was nothing to be alarmed about and she seemed to be ‘on the mend’.
And as the Queen continues to rest at Windsor Castle, one source told MailOnline that she was feeling better and the ‘family are confident she will make a full recovery’ – although she is being ‘constantly monitored’.
When Buckingham Palace announced on Sunday that the Queen had tested positive, royal aides said that she was suffering from ‘mild cold-like’ symptoms and would continue with ‘light duties’. It was also hoped she may be able to continue to carry out a number of public duties already scheduled in her diary over the coming weeks.
Aides said they would not be ‘giving a running commentary’ on Her Majesty’s health ahead of three major public events that Buckingham Palace have already announced she ‘hopes to attend’ next month.
The first is next Wednesday when the annual Diplomatic Reception – one of the highlights of the royal calendar – will be at Windsor Castle for the first time since 2019. Instead of the usual grand white tie affair at Buckingham Palace for around 1,000 ambassadorial staff, it will be a smaller lounge suit and cocktail dress event at the castle.
But it would still involve the Queen meeting hundreds of people and standing on her feet for up to an hour. A source said: ‘I think everyone’s energies are being focused on the Queen being better for next week, frankly.’
One option being considered is for her to make a briefer appearance and leave the ‘grip and grinning’ to other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Camilla and Prince William and Kate.
The monarch is also due to attend the annual Commonwealth Service, Britain’s largest interfaith gathering, on March 14, at Westminster Abbey. The Queen is also hoping to attend a service of thanksgiving at the Abbey for the life of her late husband the Duke of Edinburgh on March 29, nearly a year after he died aged 99 at Windsor.
Her Majesty was due to hold two virtual audiences yesterday, but these did not took place – and fears for the longest-reigning sovereign have been heightened given her age, frailer appearance and recent hospital stay.
One royal source told MailOnline yesterday: ‘The Queen is still a little under the weather but is well on the road to recovery and the family are confident she will make a full recovery. However obviously no one is being complacent and she is being constantly monitored.’
It comes after a Buckingham Palace spokesman said yesterday morning: ‘The two virtual audiences that had previously been scheduled to take place today will now be rescheduled for a later date. Her Majesty is continuing with light duties. No other engagements are scheduled for this week.’
Her ‘light duties’ include working from her red boxes, sent to her every day and containing policy papers, Foreign Office telegrams, letters and other State papers which have to be read and sometimes approved and signed.
The Queen is said to have been suffering from ‘mild cold-like symptoms’, although her audience with the Prime Minister on Wednesday suggested the world’s current oldest and longest-reigning monarch is not seriously ill.
And a royal source claimed on Wednesday night that the Queen’s symptoms were now wearing off, telling The Sun: ‘She’s already getting over her Covid – it’s amazing to think she’s done it so quickly. That’s why she’s such an inspiration. Positive test on Sunday, meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesday. Not bad for 95.’
Buckingham Palace has said it would not give a running commentary on the health of Elizabeth II, who celebrated her 70th anniversary of becoming Queen earlier this month. No other engagements are planned this week.
Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on February 16, which was four days before her positive Covid-19 test was announced
On Wednesday evening, the Queen would have had much to discuss with Mr Johnson during their weekly telephone conversation – including how the UK Government are dealing with the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister is also embroiled in the partygate saga, with the Metropolitan Police investigating a dozen events, including as many as six which the PM reportedly attended.
The Queen’s advanced age, Covid diagnosis, frailer appearance and recent health scare mean her medical team will be keeping a close eye on her progress, but being well enough to speak to Mr Johnson will be taken as an encouraging sign.
It is understood the Queen previously also had a separate planned in-person audience in the diary for yesterday but this was cancelled on Monday in keeping with Covid isolation guidelines.
The nation’s longest reigning monarch, who will have been triple vaccinated, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors’ orders.
In the autumn, she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back.
She also missed the Church of England’s General Synod.
The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and has been pictured looking frailer recently. She remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last week: ‘Well, as you can see, I can’t move.’
Mr Johnson is the 14th prime minister of the Queen’s long reign.
The pair have held their weekly audiences – which follow Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons – by telephone for much of the pandemic, with the monarch usually seated in her Oak Room sitting room taking the call on an old-fashioned phone.
But Dominic Cummings – the former chief aide to No 10 – claimed Mr Johnson wanted to visit the Queen in person early during the pandemic despite Downing Street staff already falling ill with virus.
Mr Cummings alleged he had to convince Mr Johnson not to visit the monarch by warning about the potentially grave consequences.
Ultimately Mr Johnson and the Queen switched to holding phone discussions on March 18, 2020 as she prepared to socially distance at Windsor, ahead of the first lockdown.
Their first in-person meeting during the pandemic was not until 15 months later on June 23, 2021.
In a 1992 documentary filmed to mark her 40th year on the throne, the Queen gave her view on the importance of her meetings with her prime ministers.
A cameraman stands in front of Windsor Castle on Monday, a day after it was announced that the Queen had tested positive
Armed police stand guard in front of Windsor Castle on Monday where the Queen is still keeping up with official papers
‘They unburden themselves or tell me what is going on or if they have any problems, and sometimes I can help in some way as well,’ she said.
‘They know I can be impartial and it is rather nice to feel one is a sponge. Occasionally one can put one’s point of view and perhaps they have not seen it from that angle.’
As head of state, the Queen is politically neutral and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters, but her knowledge of politics is immense.
Throughout her reign, she has received weekly briefings from the prime minister of the day, and dozens of government documents pass across her desk every week for formal approval.
Nearly two years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic hit Britain, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip moved to Windsor in March 2020.
The couple, who were married for 73 years, self-isolated with a reduced number of household staff. Philip, 99, died in April 2021, and his funeral was held under strict coronavirus restrictions with the Queen forced to sit alone at St George’s Chapel at Windsor.
Elizabeth II returned to official duties after his death and as restrictions were lifted, but she was forced to slow down on medical advice in October last year.
The palace was forced to confirm that she had an overnight stay in hospital after going in for unspecified tests – and since then her appearances have become rarer.
She held a public engagement at her Sandringham residence in Norfolk on February 5 for members of the local community and volunteer groups, on the eve of the anniversary of her accession to the throne in 1952.
Meanwhile, it was revealed today that the Duke of Cambridge made a secret visit to MI6 yesterday – just hours before Russia launched its attack on Ukraine.
Second in line to the throne William privately visited the Secret Intelligence Service, which deals with foreign intelligence and protects the UK from risks abroad, in London yesterday morning.
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