Queen Elizabeth will miss her Platinum Jubilee service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London after experiencing "discomfort" at an earlier birthday parade, Buckingham Palace confirmed to Insider on Thursday.
"The Queen greatly enjoyed today's Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort," the statement read. "Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend."
Buckingham Palace said the 96-year-old Queen is "looking forward" to attending the Beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle later on Thursday night.
The Queen during the Trooping the Colour parade on the Buckingham Palace balcony on June 2, 2022.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The announcement comes after Buckingham Palace said Prince Andrew would miss out on the celebrations after testing positive for COVID-19.
Queen Elizabeth has canceled public engagements on and off since she pulled out of a trip to Northern Ireland and the United Nations Climate Change Conference on advice from doctors back in October. Weeks later, Buckingham Palance announced that she had a sprained back and could not attend a Remembrance Sunday event.
The Queen resumed her engagements in the new year, kicking off Platinum Jubilee celebrations with a public reception at Sandringham Estate, her country retreat, on February 5.
But, weeks later, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen had tested positive for COVID-19. The monarch continued her weekly audience with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the phone but canceled her virtual engagements as she continued to recover.
On May 9, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen would miss the State Opening of Parliament due to "episodic mobility problems." It was the first time since 1963 that Elizabeth did not attend the opening of Parliament and the reading of the Queen's speech — a ceremony that sets out Parliament's governmental agenda for the coming year. Prince Charles read the speech in her place.
The Queen appeared to be in good spirits as she watched her birthday parade from the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday.
She stood next to her great-grandson Prince Louis, who she entertained as he asked questions and waved to the crowd while they watched the annual Trooping the Colour.
