Now she’s missing Derby too ... so will we see her for f inale of Jubilee?
ON MONDAY: 12-PAGE JUBILEE PICTURE SOUVENIR SPECIAL
‘Greatly enjoyed birthday parade’
THE Queen last night pulled out of attending today’s Epsom Derby amid continuing concern for her health.
It came after the Duchess of Cambridge revealed that the monarch had a ‘lovely’ time at the opening Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but had found the day ‘very tiring’.
Her Majesty made three memorable public appearances on Thursday, including the lighting of the Principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon ceremony at Windsor Castle, but had experienced ‘some discomfort’.
Her attendance at the Epsom Derby had been considered one of the high spots of the weekend’s events, particularly for the 96-yearold herself. It is the only one of the ‘classics’ she has never won in her long career as a racehorse owner.
The Jockey Club had spent the past few months making extensive plans to facilitate her attendance, including allowing her car to drive right up the course and pull up outside the Queen Elizabeth stand where the Royal Box is located. But yesterday afternoon Buckingham Palace announced that she had decided not to attend, and would instead watch the racing on television at Windsor Castle.
Princess Anne is now expected to represent her mother at Epsom and is likely to be accompanied by her family. No other senior royals will be there as many have engagements on behalf of the Queen elsewhere today or will be preparing for tonight’s Party at the Palace concert.
Phil White, London regional director for The Jockey Club, said: ‘It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom, but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television. We have big plans to celebrate Her Majesty’s contribution to horseracing and the nation, and these will continue in full.’
The plans include many of the Queen’s former jockeys, such as Willie Carson, forming a guard of honour in her distinctive racing silks.
The news came after she cancelled plans to lead her family at yesterday’s service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Buckingham Palace said that while she had ‘greatly enjoyed’ her birthday parade and flypast, she had experienced ‘some discomfort’ in terms of her mobility and, given the physical challenges involved in taking part in the hour-long service, would remain at Windsor with ‘great reluctance’. A senior royal source said she enjoyed the opening day of festivities ‘immensely’ but ‘episodic mobility issues’ she had suffered since last autumn ‘were experienced during the course of the day’.
Royal aides stressed that it had always been Her Majesty’s ‘hope’ to attend rather than a firm commitment. Buckingham Palace said it will confirm whether she will attend other events over the next two days as soon as possible. It is thought royal aides may be trying to help her to rest so she will be able to make an appearance at tomorrow’s closing Platinum Jubilee Pageant. ‘It seems the palace are taking a “book-end” approach, allowing her to attend at the start and finish without taxing her too much in between,’ said a source.
On Thursday it emerged that the Duke of York, who has had contact with the Queen recently, had Covid.