Queen to miss start of Qatari state visit

Queen Camilla will miss some elements of the Qatari state visit this week due to a lingering viral chest infection, a Buckingham Palace source says.

A Palace source said that the infection she has had in recent weeks is lingering, leaving her with diminished reserves of energy.

Changes to the Queen’s programme have been made on the advice of doctors.

The 77-year-old will now not attend the official arrival at Horse Guards Parade in London on Tuesday morning and her presence at other elements of the visit will be scaled back.

Queen Camilla will not be present for a carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace after the official arrival, in which King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales will meet the Emir of Qatar and his wife.

She will attend a lunch at the palace when the royal party returns and is hoping to see an exhibition in the Picture Gallery in the Palace.

The Queen will attend the state banquet on Tuesday and the farewells to the Emir of Qatar on Wednesday.

Palace sources say the diagnosis she initially received in November has not changed and she needs time to rest and recover fully, which is more challenging with the back-to-back nature of engagements on a state visit.

The engagements changed for the state visit would have involved the Queen spending a considerable amount of time outside or standing and greeting people.

Announcing the infection early in November, Buckingham Palace said: “Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.”

She pulled out of a number of scheduled engagements at the start of November – such as Remembrance Sunday, because of the chest infection and doctors had advised she spend a short period of rest at home.

The Palace said she would return to public duties on 17 November but with some changes to her schedule.

On 18 November, she appeared at an event at the University of London, where she was presented with an honorary doctorate of literature by Princess Anne.

The Queen did not attend the Royal Variety Performance with the King on 22 November after the Palace announced she would not be joining him following “lingering post-viral” symptoms from the chest infection.