The Queen’s Ability to Attend Prince Philip’s Memorial Up in the Air
She also could miss the opening of British parliament in May.
Though it is Queen Elizabeth’s fervent wish to attend late husband Prince Philip’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday, her ability to attend will likely be a game time decision, OK! reports.
The decision as to whether Her Majesty will be able to attend the March 29 event will likely not be made until just before the service, the outlet reports. The Service of Thanksgiving will celebrate the Duke of Edinburgh’s life and “dedication to family, nation, and Commonwealth.” He passed away last April at 99 years old, and, because of COVID-19 restrictions at the time, his funeral was limited to just 30 people.
Her Majesty recently missed the Commonwealth Day ceremony on March 14 because of concerns surrounding her “comfort,” OK! reports. Now, “palace staff members are scrambling to find new ways to make the royal as comfortable as possible if she is to attend the memorial, devising plans that include a possible helicopter drop off and privacy screens,” the outlet said.
“The Queen is extraordinary. She has gone on with great vigor for years, but we have to remember she is 95 and not superhuman,” royal biographer Penny Junor told The Daily Mail, via OK!. “In other respects, she is on great form. The Queen is fantastic on Zoom calls, but I think events where she is required to walk or go up any steps are not going to be feasible anymore.”
Recent reports are also indicating that Her Majesty may miss the opening of British parliament on May 10. According to The Sunday Times of London, via Page Six, once again the Queen will decide that day if she is up for the task. Her Majesty has only missed the opening of parliament twice in the past 70 years, the last time being just before the birth of Prince Edward in 1964.
“The date is in Her Majesty’s diary, and she hopes to attend,” an unnamed royal source told The Sunday Times. “The Queen remains fit and active, and it is amazing how much she still does. But her diary is being paced to reflect the realities of a woman of her age, and to ensure that she is able to continue to do as much as she can and would like to do. All events now will be scheduled so that if Her Majesty is unable to attend at short notice, another member of the royal family will still be present.”
In the case of the opening of parliament, the throne speech will fall to her heir, Prince Charles, if she is unable to attend.
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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.