AIR MAJESTY
Queen flies to her country estate in helicopter to plan family Christmas
She felt it better to be there and oversee everything in person
ROYAL SOURCE ON TRIP TO SANDRINGHAM ESTATE
THE Queen was flown from Windsor Castle by helicopter yesterday to spend the weekend at Sandringham.
Doctors cleared the monarch, 95, to make the trip to her country home in Norfolk after several days resting at her Berkshire residence due to tiredness.
Her Majesty was understood to be “delighted” to be able to make the journey for her mini-break, which had been planned for some time.
She is understood to have wanted to be at Sandringham to make plans before welcoming her family to the country estate for Christmas.
The Mirror revealed the Queen was “totally committed” to hosting them this year after being forced to step back from public duties to rest under doctors orders. It will be her first Christmas without her beloved husband Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in April.
The Duke of Edinburgh spent most of his last years living at Wood Farm, a cottage on the vast estate, after retiring from public duties.
A royal source said: “The Queen hoped she would still be able to spend the weekend at Sandringham and was delighted her doctors gave her the all clear to travel.
“Her Majesty is very much looking forward to hosting her family at her Norfolk home for the Christmas holiday and there is much preparation to be done to accommodate everyone. The
Queen has many happy memories of being at Sandringham with the family over Christmas and was in the firm belief that she was far better off being there in person to oversee everything as much as possible.
“But she travelled on the understanding with her doctors that she continues to rest.”
The Queen is due to return in the coming days to Windsor, where she spent last Christmas alone with Prince Philip due to coronavirus restrictions.
Her family are understood to have grown “concerned” in recent weeks as the Queen undertook a relentless schedule of engagements.
She spent a night at the King Edward
VII hospital in Marylebone, Central London, last month after specialists performed a series of tests described as “preliminary investigations”.
Buckingham Palace said medics took an “understandably cautious approach”, adding the Queen’s admission was for “practical reasons”. She returned home to Windsor Castle the next day.
Royal doctors ordered complete rest, meaning she was unable to undertake her daily walk with her dogs. The Queen has also temporarily been forced to give up horse riding throughout the winter.
Her Majesty was forced to pull out of attending the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow but has been undertaking “light duties” from Windsor, welcoming ambassadors virtually.
Buckingham Palace did not comment.