THE QUEEN has announced she will not attend her famous royal garden parties this year amid growing concerns over her health.
The summer soirees are a key event in the royal calendar and are usually hosted by Her Majesty in the impressive grounds around Buckingham Palace and Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
But it has been revealed that key members of the royal family will now go in place of the Queen, with the long afternoon of standing and walking no longer suitable for the 96-year-old monarch who suffers from mobility issues.
It is the first time in three years that the parties have gone ahead due to Covid and it is thought to be the only time the Queen will not be present at any of them in her 70-year-reign.
Traditionally the event is an opportunity for the monarch to meet those who have served their country or communities from all different walks of life with around 30,000 guests are invited each year.
A royal source told The Celeb Report they believe it is unlikely Her Majesty will attend a garden party again, they added: “Now it is becoming increasingly important to manage the events that she attends and ensure her health is the priority.
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“Unfortunately, as with anything concerning mobility in old age, it is unlikely that it will improve over the years and that the Queen will be able to attend these parties again.
“They are very long days, for even the fittest of guests, and the younger royals will do a brilliant job of representing her – but it is likely that this announcement signals the end of an era.”
The last time there was a garden party at Buckingham Palace was in May 2019 when she and Prince Harry greeted captains from the teams taking part in the cricket World Cup.
The monarch is usually joined by members of her family at the garden events including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and her grandchildren Prince William and his wife Kate, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Buckingham Palace yesterday said: “Her Majesty The Queen will be represented by other members of the royal family at this year’s garden parties, with details on attendance to be confirmed in due course.”
The Queen spent a night in hospital last October and spent the next three months under doctors’ orders to only conduct light duties and missed a number of prominent events.
But she reached her Platinum Jubilee in February and overcame a bout of Covid after testing positive in the same month.
In recent years, the Prince of Wales has hosted some parties on behalf of his mother.
The palace will confirm which members of the family will host this year’s parties at a later date.
The events, which go ahead on Wednesday afternoons even in bad weather, would put too much pressure on the Queen to walk relatively long distances with her walking with a stick.
Her appearances in public are carefully managed for her comfort, and are increasingly rare.
This year, the three Buckingham Palace garden parties will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee on May 11th, 18th and 25th, with another taking place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on June 29th.
As has become tradition, the Queen has also given permission for The Not Forgotten Association Annual Garden Party to be hosted by the Princess Royal, as the charity’s patron, in the Buckingham Palace Garden on Thursday, May 12th.
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Each year, the parties see members of the public welcomed in the Palace grounds for tea, an array of sandwiches, scones and cakes, and a stroll around the pristine garden.
The palace describes them as “an important way for The Queen to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community”.
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