Britain’s Queen Camilla cancels royal engagements because of illness

LONDON — Queen Camilla, the wife of Britain’s King Charles III, has withdrawn from two scheduled engagements this week after contracting a chest infection, Buckingham Palace said Tuesday.

The news, which comes after the couple returned from a royal tour in Australia and Samoa last month, means the queen will not attend two events Thursday, including one at Westminster Abbey.

In a statement, the palace said that 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.”

The queen “apologizes to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result” of the cancellations, the palace said. It added that it was hoped that Camilla, who is 77, would be well enough to attend ceremonies this weekend for Remembrance Day, which honors members of the armed forces who lost their lives in the line of duty. She is resting at home under medical supervision.

The royal family has endured a difficult year because of illness, with both King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales, being treated for cancer.

Charles said in April that he was returning to public duties less than three months after he disclosed his cancer diagnosis. In March, Kate said that she too was being treated for cancer; she also has since resumed some public appearances.

The simultaneous illnesses of two of the royal family’s most high-profile members had pushed the queen further into the public spotlight. She took on additional engagements during her husband’s treatment.

During their visit to Samoa, the royal couple attended a series of events, some of which were disrupted by torrential tropical downpours.

On Tuesday, the king undertook his duties as scheduled, including holding an audience at Buckingham Palace with Qatar’s new ambassador to Britain, the palace said in a separate statement.