The Queen may be forced to further ‘scale back’ her public commitments after she had to miss the Cenotaph event yesterday.

The 95-year-old monarch was said to be ‘deeply disappointed’ at having to take the 11th hour decision not to lead the nation’s remembrance of its war dead because of a back sprain.

Buckingham Palace had long said it was her ‘firm intention’ to be there, despite her having to cancel a run of engagements due to ill health. On Thursday, officials confirmed that she would attend the London ceremony.

Yesterday morning she arrived at the hospital just two hours earlier than she was scheduled to. However, her spokesman stated that she had been suffering from further illness and couldn’t attend. She was not admitted to any hospital. 

It was live broadcast on television at Windsor where she saw the Prince of Wales lay a wreath. The Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra also attended. 

TUESDAY -- The Queen is photographed leaving Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate to return to Windsor by helicopter

TUEDAY — Queen Elizabeth is seen leaving Wood Farm, Sandringham Estate to fly back to Windsor via helicopter 

Pictured: Prince Charles lead the royal family at this year's Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, central London and laid a wreath on behalf of his mother the Queen after she was forced to miss the event due to a back injury

Pictured: After his back injury, Prince Charles led the royal family to this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony at Whitehall Cenotaph. He laid a wreath for Queen Elizabeth on her behalf.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex lays a wreath at The Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony

Princess Anne, Princess Royal lays a wreath at The Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony

Pictured: Prince Edward, Princess Anne and the Remembrance Day ceremony saw them lay wreaths at Cenotaph.

Boris Johnson told a Downing Street press conference: ‘I know that everybody will be wanting to offer their best wishes to her majesty the Queen and I just wanted to reassure everybody by saying that I did see the Queen for an audience last week on Wednesday in Windsor and she’s very well.

‘It shouldn’t need saying but I just wanted to say it anyway.’

According to the daily royal engagements list, Mr Johnson was seen with Queen Elizabeth on Friday. He also spoke at the Cop26 summit on climate change in Glasgow Wednesday. 

As a youngster, the monarch is the head of the Armed Forces. He attaches great value to poignant service as well as to remembering those who have died in service.

Although she was a schoolgirl, she entered the Second World War and ended the war in uniform with the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a junior commander. 

Buckingham Palace said the Queen was forced to miss the Remembrance service due to a back injury. Pictured last year

Buckingham Palace stated that the Queen had to cancel the Remembrance Service because of a back injury. Photo taken last year

The Duke of Cambridge walks past dignitaries holding wreaths after he laid his wreath at the Cenotaph this morning

After placing his wreath at Cenotaph this AM, The Duke of Cambridge strolls past dignitaries while holding wreaths.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, right, stand on the balcony of the Foreign Office during the Remembrance service where the Queen would have been standing if she had attended

Camilla Duchess Cornwall, Kate, Duchess Cambridge and Sophie the Countesssof Wessex stand at the Foreign Office’s balcony for the Remembrance ceremony. If she was there, the Queen would also be present.

Wreaths of poppies were laid at the foot of the Cenotaph in London today as the country marked Remembrance Sunday

Today, as Remembrance Sunday was observed in the UK, poppies were placed at the Cenotaph’s foot.

Common injuries that heal quickly 

 Back sprains such as the one apparently suffered by the Queen occur when ligaments connecting the vertebrae in the spine become torn, stretched or twisted.

Even though they can be extremely painful, back sprains tend to heal quickly and are not a common injury. These injuries can be caused by a fall or heavy lifting, as well as a twisting motion that causes a ligament to stretch.

There is a common reason that back sprains cause an aching, broad pain in the lower back. This can lead to difficulty standing, walking, or even bending.

It is recommended that patients rest the first 2 days following injury. However, it is encouraged for them to resume normal activities immediately afterward as immobility may delay their recovery.

You can get relief with ice and ibuprofen.

After a weekend at Sandringham in Norfolk, she returned Tuesday to Windsor Castle.

Six other Cenotaph ceremonies have been missed by the Queen during her reign. These were on four occasions that she visited Ghana in 1961 and Brazil in 1968. Kenya was 1983, South Africa 1999, and Kenya in 1983.

Because she was still pregnant with her youngest child, she couldn’t be present at the 1963 and 1959 services.

The Queen was unable to attend several events including Saturday’s Festival of Remembrance, which took place at Royal Albert Hall. 

After a series of public engagements, doctors ordered her to take a rest and cancel her two-day trip to Northern Ireland.

Later, it was revealed that she had spent the night in hospital for preliminary investigations. However, a palace official refused to speculate on their nature. Since then, she has been placed on rest for at least another fortnight

The Festival of Remembrance, at London’s Royal Albert Hall, saw the reduced family group led by Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. However, the Queen was not present.

Prince William, Earl and Countess, Prince William of Wessex and Prince and Princess Michaelof Kent were also present.

Many royals believe the Queen will feel better and be able to resume taxing duties once she feels ready. 

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall led the family group, which also included Prince William, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra at the Remembrance event on Saturday night

The Prince of Wales, Prince of Cornwall and the Duchesss Cornwall were the leaders of the family group that also included Prince William, Prince William, Prince and Princess Michael, Prince William, Prince William, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Dozens of wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony held in Whitehall this morning

During the Remembrance Sunday service held at Whitehall, dozens of wreaths were placed at the Cenotaph

The Queen pictured at the Remembrance Day ceremony in 2018

The queen pictured attending the Remembrance Day ceremony 2018

Pictured: Prince William salutes veterans marching past on Horse Guards Parade during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony

Pictured: Prince William greets Veterans marching by on Horse Guards Parade at the Remembrance Sunday ceremony

Pictured: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge lays a wreath as he attends the annual service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph

Pictured: Prince William Duke of Cambridge, lays a wreath at the Cenotaph’s annual Remembrance service

The Queen would normally have appeared on the central balcony where the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra stood today. Members of the Royal Family (left to right) Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex on the balconies

The queen would have normally appeared on the central balcony, where Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent stood today. The Royal Family: From the left, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence (left to right), Princess Alexandra, Prince Phillipa, the Duke & Duchess Of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra.

‘I firmly believe the public won’t see her out and about as much,’ one source told the Daily Mail. ‘That said, she will still be visible, carrying out less taxing engagements within palace walls.

‘The whole video and virtual engagement development as a result of Covid has given palace aides options they didn’t have before. But there will definitely be a change in pace.’

An additional source stated that the sources did not think that Queen Elizabeth II would again engage in large-scale investitures.

Palace aides say ‘nothing can be ruled out, and nothing can be ruled in’, but concede that some key events such as handing out honours could be scaled back for her, perhaps with smaller sessions or one-on-ones in private.

In November 2019, the Queen held her last investiture at Buckingham Palace, where she presented honours to over 65 individuals. 

Pictured: Prince Charles laid a wreath on behalf of the Queen at the Remembrance Sunday event as she was unable to attend

Pictured: Princess Charles, who was unable attend Remembrance Day event because she couldn’t be there, laid a wreath in her place.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend the service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph

Prince Charles and Prince William of Wales, Prince Charles and Prince William of Cambridge, attend the Cenotaph Remembrance Service

The Duchess of Cambridge was pictured in attendance at the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in London this moring

Prince William attends the Remembrance Sunday event this morning

Pictured with the Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge at Remembrance Sunday in London.

It is the exclusive right of The Queen to confer titles such as Knighthoods, MBEs OBEs and CBEs.

At events lasting more than one hour, recipients collect their awards from the Queen or another member. 

For knighthoods the Queen has to wield her father King George VI’s heavy ceremonial sword.

Prince Charles, Prince William, and Princess Anne are now increasingly playing this role.

In her 69 years of reign, the Queen missed six Cenotaph events. This was twice while she was pregnant and once when she was on tour for the Government.

Although it isn’t known what caused her injury, she had suffered back pain in the past and didn’t fall.

Insiders said she had ‘unequivocally’ intended to be at the Cenotaph and on Friday staff were busy planning for her presence. It is possible that she felt uncomfortable during the weekend.

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Britain's Princess Alexandra took the Queen's place on the central balcony in Whitehall

Prince Edward, Duke Of Kent, and Britain’s Princess Alexandra occupied the Queen’s spot on Whitehall’s central balconies

Pictured: Veterans march along Whitehall during Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph, in Whitehall

Pictured at Whitehall: Veterans parade along Whitehall as part of Remembrance Sunday, during which the Cenotaph held its service in Whitehall

Prime Minister Boris Johnson bows his head after laying his wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in Whitehall

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister bows after placing his wreath at Cenotaph in Whitehall on Remembrance Day

A boy joined veterans of the Guards as they marched past the Cenotaph during a remembrance Sunday service in London

A boy joined the Guards veterans as they marched by the Cenotaph in London during the remembrance Sunday service.

The Queen did not go to hospital. She is currently resting at Windsor. Her doctors informed her that she would not be able to drive from Windsor, England to London in pain and for a prolonged period standing.

‘To say that she is deeply disappointed to miss it is an understatement,’ said one.

‘It is the most inked-in commitment in her diary each year.’

A royal aide added: ‘It is obviously incredibly unfortunate timing and nobody regrets the Queen’s absence more than her majesty herself. She is deeply disappointed to miss the engagement which she regards as one of the most significant engagements of the year.’

The Mail understands that she has one or two virtual audiences in her diary this week which staff expect her to undertake as part of her programme of ‘rest and light duties’.

Last time the Queen was seen publicly, it was October 19, during a Windsor reception that included tech entrepreneurs, business leaders, and government representatives. Bill Gates, a billionaire from Microsoft was among those who were present.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge stand on the balcony of the Foreign Office during the Remembrance service where the Queen would have been standing if she had attended

Camilla, Duchess Cornwall, and Kate, Duchess Cambridge, stand at the Foreign Office balcony during Remembrance Service, where Queen Elizabeth would have stood if she was there

Dragon Rapide drops 80,000 poppies across the airfield during the Remembrance service at IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire

Dragon Rapide drops over 80,000 poppies from the airfield at the Remembrance service held at IWM Duxford (Cambridgeshire).

In her previous engagements, the Queen had used a walking stick for the first times in public.

Penny Junor, royal biographer, said that the Queen would regret missing the Cenotaph celebration.

She added: ‘Remembering the war dead is a very, very important part of her annual calendar.

‘But clearly she must follow the advice and get herself well. It’s not surprising because she is 95. 

“We are so used to her looking young and outgoing that we have been fooled into believing she could go on like this forever. Evidently she cannot. 

Robert Jobson, a Palace insider, told GB News the Queen would feel emotional on the occasion and would cherish her memories as the sole living head of state to have served during World War Two.

“Because of, of course the loss of her husband, in April. He was a veteran of Royal Navy with distinction, was mentioned as a dispatcher over the Battle of Mattapan. So it’s going be quite emotional, I think, for her.