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The Queen this evening put on a brave face to host a glittering Nato reception at Buckingham Palace following a difficult year for the Royal family.
Elizabeth, 93, was joined by Prince Charles and Camilla who earlier today had tea with Donald Trump and the First Lady at Clarence House before arriving at the palace in Westminster, central London, amid heavy security.
She wowed in a green dress and accessorised with a emerald green shawl, a pearl necklace and pearl earrings. She seemed in good spirits following rumours from cruel social media trolls who had speculated her death.
Queen Elizabeth II speaking to guests during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, as Nato leaders attend to mark 70 years of the alliance
The Queen wowed in a green dress and accessorised with a emerald green shawl, a pearl necklace and pearl earrings
Elizabeth, 93, was joined by Prince Charles and Camilla who earlier today had tea with Donald Trump and at Clarence House
It also follows difficulties for the Royal family including criticism of her son Prince Andrew, 59, whose relationship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has again been thrust into the spotlight following a ‘car-crash’ interview with BBC Newsnight.
Andrew is facing fresh scrutiny after Virginia Roberts’ first UK television interview was aired as part of a BBC Panorama investigation into the duke’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Ms Roberts, now Giuffre, claims she was trafficked to London by Epstein and forced to sleep with the duke when she was a teenager, which Andrew categorically denies.
She spoke of how she was left ‘horrified and ashamed’ after the alleged encounter in 2001, saying: ‘One thing that I can tell you is you never forget the face of someone who has heaved over you.’
She claimed she danced with Andrew in Tramp night club, adding he was ‘the most hideous dancer I’ve ever seen in my life’ and ‘his sweat was … raining basically everywhere’.
The US President and First Lady earlier this evening had tea with Prince Charles and Camilla (right) at Clarence House before arriving at Buckingham Palace amid heavy security
The First Lady wore a yellow £4,700 Valentino coat to keep the British cold at bay teamed with fuchsia heels, while the president opted for a dark blue suit, white shirt and blue tie
Leaders of Nato alliance countries, and its secretary general, join Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales for a group picture during a reception in Buckingham Palace, London
It comes as the Queen’s grandson Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, faced criticism over their supposed climate-change double standards, taking a number of private jets in quick succession, and the cost of renovations at their home at Frogmore Cottage, which is less than a mile from Windsor Castle.
The Sussexes are not taking part in the major gathering of the British monarchy today, when the Queen will lead her family in welcoming Nato leaders, including US President Donald Trump, to Buckingham Palace for a reception marking 70 years of the alliance.
Frogmore House was at the centre of a funding row earlier this year when royal accounts showed £2.4m of taxpayer money had been ploughed into its renovation.
The accounts showed renovation involved the ‘reconfiguration and full refurbishment of five residential units in poor condition to create the official residence for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’.
On November 18, the couple will start a six-week break from royal duties with a intimate Christmas together at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, most likely.
Her Majesty has given her grandson her full support but intriguingly royal sources said the monarch was in the dark about his festive plans until he called her at Buckingham Palace to decline her open invite.
It comes amid reports of a rift between Harry and his brother William.
Andrew was interviewed by Emily Maitlis in a Newsnight programme shown on November 16, during which he refuted the suggestion that he went to Tramp’s nightclub with Miss Roberts
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex disembark from their plane on their arrival in Suva, on day one of the royal couple’s visit to Fiji. They have faced criticism over their use of flights this year
Harry and Meghan faced criticism after it was claimed they flew privately four times in 11 days during the summer – as depicted in this map
William and Kate have missed Christmas at Sandringham twice since 2012, but Phil Dampier, author of Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan, told MailOnline today: ‘It’s very hard to see this as anything other than a snub to the Queen and the rest of the royal family. It shows there is a deep rift.
‘If Harry and Meghan wanted to heal the divisions they should have turned up at Sandringham. It’s a great shame but there seems to be a problem which is getting worse, not better’.
He added: ‘I don’t buy it’s the turn of Meghan to spend Christmas with her family. She’s only close to her mother and they will see plenty of her during their six-week break. I’m sure that the Queen would be happy to invite Doria to Sandringham to join them’.
The Duchess of Cambridge is expected to play a key part in tonight’s event, as her husband, Prince William today joined a British navy crack team protecting oil tankers against hostile Iranian forces.
Other world leaders at Buckingham Palace tonight include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte.
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