Queen Camilla pulls out of engagements as Buckingham Palace issues health update

Queen Camilla has had to withdraw from her scheduled engagements this week due to a chest infection, as announced by Buckingham Palace. The Duchess of Gloucester will be stepping in for Camilla at the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday.

Additionally, she will not be attending a Buckingham Palace reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, which King Charles will host later that evening. A high-ranking palace aide revealed that the Queen is currently recuperating at home under medical advice, but hopes to recover in time for the Remembrance events taking place this week.

On Saturday, the Royal Family will be present at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, honouring those who have lost their lives in conflict and celebrating the service of the armed forces. On Sunday, the King will lead tributes at the Cenotaph in London, an event where the Queen and other senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, are typically expected to attend.

No further information regarding her illness or treatment has been disclosed, but she will continue to be monitored by doctors.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson announced: "Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest. With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend's Remembrance events as normal. She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result", reports the Mirror.

The Queen, aged 77, has been at the forefront of Royal duties for several months, following the King's initial hospitalisation for an enlarged prostate in January and subsequent cancer diagnosis weeks later. Charles, 75, took a leave of absence from his public Royal responsibilities, returning in April while still receiving weekly treatment.

The Royal couple recently concluded a nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa. Upon their return to Britain, they stopped in India for a three-day luxury spa retreat at the Soukya resort in Bangalore, known for its yoga, wellness programmes, and Ayurvedic treatments.

This is not the first visit for Charles and Camilla, who are reported to appreciate the resort's emphasis on holistic wellness. The Queen also enjoyed a brief stay at the same resort en route from London to Sydney two weeks prior.

Camilla's health news follows a challenging year for the Royal family's wellbeing, with both the King and the Princess of Wales facing cancer diagnoses.

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