Buckingham Palace has released a new statement about the Royal Family’s attendance at two major events to mark Remembrance Day this weekend. However, Queen Camilla’s appearance remains in doubt.
The Queen, who is currently suffering from a chest infection, was not mentioned on the list of attendees at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall – taking place on Saturday – or at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph – scheduled for Sunday morning.
Buckingham Palace is expected to reveal whether Queen Camilla will attend the two major Remembrance events this weekend “nearer the time”.
A statement from the Palace read: “His Majesty The King and Members of the Royal Family will attend engagements to mark Remembrance in 2024. The Queen’s attendance at Remembrance events will be subject to medical advice nearer the time.”
The Queen, 77, had to cancel a handful of royal engagements earlier this week after becoming unwell with a chest infection, with doctors ordering her to rest.
On Saturday, King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence will attend the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
They will also be joined by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
On Sunday, the King will take part in the annual Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph. The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Tim, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and The Duke of Kent will also attend the poignant ceremony, Buckingham Palace said.
During the service, the King will lay a wreath, the design of which pays tribute to the wreath of His Majesty’s grandfather, King George VI, and mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The poppy wreaths are mounted on an arrangement of black leaves, as is traditional for the Sovereign, and its ribbon bears The King’s racing colours: scarlet, purple and gold. The royal racing colours were also incorporated into the wreaths of King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen’s wreath will be laid on Her Majesty’s behalf by an Equerry from the Royal Household. The Queen’s wreath will bear Her Majesty’s racing colours, inherited from her grandfather, and echoes the wreath of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The Prince of Wales will lay the wreath previously laid by His Majesty The King as the former Prince of Wales, featuring The Prince of Wales’s feathers. The wreath bears a new ribbon in Welsh red.
Queen Camilla’s illness meant that was unable to attend the annual Field of Remembrance event on Thursday, along with the Buckingham Palace reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes hosted by the King.
This was confirmed in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
It read: “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.”
A day later, the Palace then confirmed that the Queen will host a reception to celebrate literature shortlisted for this year’s Booker Prize next week, a sure sign of her speedy recovery.
