The 77-year-old queen believes the virus is “[hanging] on for a little bit,” despite the palace’s earlier assertion that she was recovering from a chest infection that forced her to take a break in early November.
Despite missing several occasions due to illness, the queen consort hosted the prestigious Booker Prize ceremony on November 12, but she had to leave before the announcement of the winner. King Charles will now have to walk the red carpet alone when Her Majesty withdraws from the Gladiator II Royal Film Performance.
The king began his cancer treatment after Charles, 75, and Camilla, 77, returned from their lengthy tour of Australia and Samoa, and the queen was confined to bed due to an illness that left her with a chest infection.
Despite having to miss many events due to her illness, the palace expected her to resume her public duties over the Remembrance Day weekend. “Her Majesty the queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest,” reads a royal statement on November 5th.
“Her Majesty regretfully had to cancel her engagements for this week, but she sincerely hopes to recover in time to attend the Remembrance events this weekend as usual.” On Remembrance Sunday, King Charles laid a wreath on behalf of the country at the Whitehall memorial in central London, but the queen was not present at the Cenotaph.
Birgitte, the 78-year-old Duchess of Gloucester, replaced Camilla at Westminster Abbey’s annual Field of Remembrance opening on November 7. Prince William, Kate Middleton, who has gradually returned to public life following cancer treatment, and other members of the royal family joined the king in remembering Britain’s fallen warriors.
However, due to her illness lasting longer than expected, she is cancelling her appearance at the highly anticipated Gladiator II premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square theatre in downtown London, leaving Charles to walk the red carpet alone.
Newsweek reports that the 2024 video represents the charity’s 72nd Royal Film Performance, commemorating its 100th anniversary this year.