Queen attends her first platinum jubilee event

Queen Elizabeth has officially attended her first Platinum Jubilee event, met with a standing ovation as she arrived at the Royal Windsor horse Show

The equestrian extravaganza has been running since Thursday and features international and national military and dance displays.

Stars including Tom Cruise, Helen Mirren and Katherine Jenkins featured in the performance, the beginning of celebrations to mark the monarch’s 70 years on the throne.

Queen Elizabeth has missed a number of events recently due to mobility issues, including the annual reading of the Queen’s Speech to Britain’s parliament for the first time since 1963.

The show was labelled as ‘a personal tribute to the monarchy’ taking audiences through five centuries of history.

Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth the first, starring alongside more than 500 horses and 1,000 other performers.

Elizabeth was also spotted at a horse event on Friday, as one of her own horses was announced as a supreme champion.

Prince Charles opens Parliament in Queen’s absence

Prince Charles steps up as health issues force Queen Elizabeth the second to miss the annual state opening of parliament in the UK for the first time in 59 years

Prince Charles delivers the opening speech to the parliament for the first time, outlining the UK government’s political agenda amid Queen Elizabeth’s absence.

The Sovereign’s Throne sits empty in the parliament with the heir Prince Charles sitting by the Imperial State Crown on the Consort’s Throne. His wife, Camilla and son, Prince William also accompany him in the House of Lords Chamber.

“Her Majesty’s government’s priority is to grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families,” Charles says, delivering the speech written by the government.

“Her Majesty’s government will level up opportunity in all parts of the country and support more people into work. Her ministers will continue to support the police to make the streets safer, and fund the National Health Service to reduce the COVID backlogs.”

Prince Charles walks along the Royal Gallery with Camilla and Prince William. Picture: Reuters

The Queen’s original speech would have included ‘My Government’ but Charles replaces it with ‘Her Majesty’s Government’.

Charles concludes his eight-minute address with a mention of the upcoming celebration of the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

The world’s longest reigning monarch is said to be suffering from ‘episodic mobility problems‘ which has been forcing her to miss several public events over the past months including the parliament opening.

This marks her third absence from the state opening of parliament since she took over the throne in 1952. The last two times being when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew in 1959 and Prince Edward in 1963.

Rijul Baath contributed to this report

Health concerns for Queen after new announcement

Queen Elizabeth has pulled out of the 2022 State Opening of Parliament, citing mobility problems

It’s the first time since 1963 the monarch will miss the occasion, which is a commemorative day used to set out the government’s legislative plans for the year ahead.

Prince Charles is set to take his mother’s place, and will deliver a speech on Tuesday for the Queen.

Buckingham Palace had been hopeful Elizabeth would attend, with this cancellation the latest in a number of other events she has had to step back from due to health issues recently.

In a statement, the palace says the Queen has reluctantly decided not to attend the State Opening after extensive consultation with her doctors.

During her 70 years on the throne, Elizabeth has only missed two State Openings, when she was pregnant in both 1959 and 1963.

While the Lord Chancellor stepped in on those occasions, this year it will be the Prince of Wales.

At the event, the Queen’s throne will remain empty with with Charles, Camilla and Prince William seated in front of the parliamentarians.

Major changes to Queen Elizabeth’s schedule amid mobility concerns

Queen Elizabeth II will not attend events under a new royal plan, amid mobility concerns

The Queen of England is stepping back from public life, under a new royal plan, that will see the Queen not attend future events until confirmed by the Palace on the day.

The new rule likely means we’ll see even less of the Queen, with her Majesty’s presence at public engagements not being guaranteed.

The public should assume she will not be attending unless stated otherwise.

If the Queen does attend, she will be accompanied by a member of the Royal family.

Despite usually making an appearance, the Queen missed the Easter Sunday Service in Windsor.

Senior British royals including Prince William and Duchess Kate attended an Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle.

Photo Credit: E!ONLINE

Health scares

This follows several health scares, including covid in March this year. The 95-year-old Monarch has also pulled out of several recent engagements at the last minute due to ongoing mobility issues.

Aides of the Royal are hopeful she will be able to attend some of the important events to mark her Platinum Jubilee year.

Visit from Harry and Meghan

The changes to the Monarch’s schedule come as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle popped in for a visit to the 95-year-old. 

The couple has only visited the United Kingdom a few times since the covid-pandemic began, once for the funeral of Prince Philip. 

New reports suggest Harry and Meghan have promised the Queen she will meet her great-grandchildren Archie and Lilibet ‘in the near future’.

The duo paid a visit to Queen Elizabeth on their way to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. 

Harry started the iconic Invictus Games back in 2014 and has carried through the tradition. 

The Invictus Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.

Queen spent night in hospital

The Buckingham Palace has shared that Queen Elizabeth the Second spent the night in hospital

Preliminary medical checks occurred in hospital overnight and the Queen is now back at Windsor Castle “in good spirits”, Buckingham Palace said.

The 95-year-old monarch returned from hospital at lunchtime on Thursday, the palace said.

The Queen cancelled a visit to Northern Ireland.

She wasn’t “disappointed” after cancelling a visit to Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

She was given medical advice to rest for a few days

“Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today, and remains in good spirits.”

In a statement on Thursday night, Buckingham Palace said:

The Queen was seen by specialists at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in central London and her admittance is understood not to have been related to coronavirus.

This is a developing story, more details as they come