Summer cold forces Queen to pull out of St Paul’s date
THE Queen was forced to pull out of an important service yesterday after falling victim to a summer cold.
Buckingham Palace said she was too “under the weather” to attend the event at St Paul’s Cathedral.
It was to mark the 200th anniversary of the Order of Michael and St George, one of her highest chivalry awards for overseas service.
Royal aides were quick to point out that the Queen, 92, had not changed her weekend plans to travel to Windsor and it was understood she had not seen a doctor.
The Queen’s illness came just a day after Buckingham Palace accounts revealed she cost Britain just 69p per person during the last financial year. Ministers paid her a Sovereign Grant of nearly £46million to cover official duties and expenses, plus an extra £30million towards the upcoming Palace renovation.
The Queen is famously reluctant to cancel engagements – she undertook 154 last year, despite moves to share more of her work with the younger royals.
But the Palace said she decided against attending yesterday’s ceremony and was represented instead by the Duke of Kent, who is grand master of the order.
Among those at the event was Angelina Jolie, whose honorary damehood for services to UK foreign policy and her campaign to end sexual violence in war zones is included in the order.
The 43-year-old actress looked elegant in an ivory cowl neck gown with matching gloves and hat topped with a ribbon.
Without the Queen, Miss Jolie became the centre of attention, chatting with former defence secretary Lord Robertson and meeting fans.
After travelling to Windsor, the Queen is expected to fly to Scotland where she has a busy schedule at Holyrood.