Queen sprains back pulls out of Remembrance Day service

London: Buckingham Palace says the Queen has sprained her back and will not attend Sunday’s Remembrance Day service.

The 95-year-old monarch had said she would attend the service, which would have been her first public outing since being told to rest and avoid attending several events including a reception at the UN climate talks in Glasgow.

The Palace said her back injury is unrelated to the unspecified condition that has seen her withdraw from attending mixed gatherings.Credit:Getty Images

In a statement, the Palace said: “The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph.”

“Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.

Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall will attend along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester along with the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra will be present at the Cenotaph today as planned.”

The Queen’s attendance was due to resume Royal duties for the first time in nearly a month, after being repeatedly advised to rest by her doctors. The Palace has not provided any further details on the Queen’s condition but confirmed that she spent a night in hospital in October for “preliminary investigations.”

Her back injury is unrelated to the unspecified condition that has seen her withdraw from attending mixed gatherings.

Prince Charles attends the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph, in Whitehall, London.Credit:AP

The Queen had repeatedly insisted that Remembrance Day Sunday would see her return to public engagements.

On Thursday, when the Palace said that the Queen would be attending Sunday’s service, they said that monarch would be watching from the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office building.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, right, stand on the balcony during the service.Credit:AP

Earlier this month, she invoked her own mortality in a recorded speech to world leaders attending the COP summit in Glasgow, as she urged them to act to save the planet from climate change.

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