Though the palace had stated that Queen Camilla was healing from the chest infection that prompted her to take a break in early November, the 77-year-old queen now claims the virus is “[hanging] on for a little bit.” After missing many engagements due to her sickness, the Queen Consort hosted the famous Booker Prize ceremony on November 12, but had to leave before the winner was announced.
And now, her majesty has withdrawn from the Royal Film Performance of Gladiator II, leaving King Charles to walk the red carpet alone. After Charles, 75, and Camilla, 77, returned from their long-haul journey to Australia and Samoa, the king started his cancer treatment, while the queen was put into bed rest due to a bug that caused a chest illness.
Her sickness forced her to withdraw from a number of engagements, but the palace anticipated her to resume public duties over the Remembrance Day weekend. “Her Majesty the queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest,” states a palace statement dated November 5th. ”
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…” However, the queen was not present at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday, when King Charles laid a wreath on behalf of the nation at the memorial in Whitehall, central London.
Prince William, Kate Middleton, who is gradually returning to public life after cancer treatment, and other royal family members joined the king in honoring Britain’s fallen soldiers, while Birgitte, the 78-year-old Duchess of Gloucester, spoke on Camilla’s behalf at Westminster Abbey’s annual Field of Remembrance opening on November 7.
“While this is a source of great disappointment for the queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to resume public duties early next week,” said a royal adviser, who noted that the queen spent several days recuperating at home on doctor’s orders. On the same evening, King Charles hosted a banquet for Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Buckingham Palace, which Camilla had planned to co-host.
On November 12, Queen Camilla, who says “literature has always been my passion,” attended the Booker Prize reception at Clarence House, but she had to leave the event she was hosting before the winner was revealed. Before leaving, she expressed her desire to attend and acknowledged her progress.”There’s some coughing going on.”
“I think I’m on the mend, but these things always take a bit time to get rid of,” says the monarch. “You think you’ve got rid of it, then they just sort of hang on for a little bit, but hopefully I’m on the mend now.” On November 13, the king and queen will commemorate the centennial of London’s Film and TV Charity, a foundation that helps suffering cinema workers and their families.
However, because her illness is taking longer than expected, she is cancelling the highly anticipated Gladiator II premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square theater in downtown London, leaving Charles to walk the red carpet alone. According to Newsweek, the 2024 film marks “the 72nd Royal Film Performance delivered by the charity, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.”
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