After spending time in hospital, and pulling out from the Cop26 summit, the Queen today presented a poem award via video link from Windsor Castle.
Her Majesty beamed as she virtually presented English poet David Constantine – who was at Buckingham Palace – with The Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry this afternoon.
The monarch, wearing a floral gown and pearl necklace, looked happy as she spoke with Mr Constantine via WebEx. Simon Armitage was accompanying her as Poet-Laureate Simon Armitage.
She told him: ‘I’m very glad to have the chance to see you if only mechanically this morning. As he presented the award to Mr Armitage, he was seen shaking hands with his fellow poet and saying “very well done, congratulations.”
Her Majesty then laughed and said, ‘I don’t know what you do. Do you put it into a cupboard?
Two days earlier, she had a virtual Audience with ambassadors from Switzerland and Republic of Korea via Cisco Webex.
After being admitted to hospital last week, the Queen continues to recover from her cancellation of a Northern Ireland trip.
Buckingham Palace made the announcement earlier this week that she would be unable to attend the Cop26 summit. This led to fears about Her Majesty’s current health.
Yesterday, royal experts suggested that there may be a’reassessment’ and possibly a slight change in the type of work that the Queen does.
Scroll down for the video.
Today, the Queen presented a poetry award via video call from Windsor Castle. This was her second appearance after being in hospital and pulling out at the Cop26 summit.
Buckingham Palace announced The Queen’s engagement today by saying: ‘Her Majesty, The Queen today conducted an Audience via video link at Windsor Castle.
“Mr. David Constantine received by The Queen via video link today when Her Majesty presented him The Queen’s Gold Medal For Poetry.
“The Poet Laureate Professor Simon Armitage was present.”
Her Majesty asked Constantine what he would do about the award. He replied that he would place it’somewhere safe.
He continued, “This evening I will show it my children and grandchildren who are waiting for me in our home.”
The Queen replied, “Ah, right, that will be nice.” It’s a very nice medal, isn’t?
Constantine, 77 years old, is also a novelist, and a writer of short stories. He has published several poetry collections, including ‘Collected Poems’ in 2004 and ‘Elder’ in 2014.
The Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry was established in 1933 by King George V. The recipient was chosen by a committee chaired and led by the PoetLaureate. John Betjeman was a previous winner, as well as Philip Larkin and Ted Hughes.
Her Majesty will continue to work behind closed doors while the climate change summit takes places in Glasgow next week. She will also record an audio message, but it is possible that she could travel further in the future.
It comes amid concerns for Queen’s health after she cancelled her visit to Northern Ireland last Wednesday at 11:59.
Palace sources claimed that her decision to not travel to Scotland was a’sensible precaution,’ given her doctor’s advice to rest. She was determined that the conference would be a success.
Another source stated that it would have been “unwise” for the Queen of England to make the 800-mile round trip to Glasgow for the major event, which seeks to agree on crucial global actions on climate change.
Roya Nikkhah, Royal expert, said yesterday that although she was not there in person, royal sources gave us some interesting background information yesterday. They indicated that she would be filming the video address this week and will be working behind-the scenes to ensure there are meaningful actions.
“And I thought it was really interesting that she was very keen that other heads of state and world leaders don’t use her absence to excuse not attending,” she said. She’s very attentive to it.
Her Majesty smiled as she presented English poet David Constantine at Buckingham Palace with The Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.
Ms. Nikkah was the royal editor of Sunday Times. She spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today program and said that it was quite a journey for a 95-year old and that she had a packed diary (public and private) for a few weeks which has left her exhausted.
‘And I think the feeling probably was – we don’t know, because we’re not doctors – but the feeling probably was from her doctors it was a little bit much for her to go up and do all that.
‘And it’s not just the travel – it’s also being on. It’s also entertaining and hosting world leaders, talking to them about climate change and all of that – I think the feeling probably is that’s just a little bit too much at the moment until she’s back to full strength.’
She continued: ‘I think there will be a reassessment and possibly a slight gear change in the kind of work the Queen does, the distances she travels, but I don’t think we will see – all being well, if the Queen is able to continue with public duties as we hope that she will be – I think we will still see her out and about as much as she and her doctors feel she can – but I think there will be a gear change, and her private secretaries and her diary secretaries looking at engagements that come in and thinking what does Her Majesty the Queen really need to be at, and what does she feel she really can do. So I believe there will be a continuous review going forwards.
The Queen’s Gold Medal in Poetry was presented at Buckingham Palace, London to David Constantine during a virtual audience by Queen Elizabeth 2.
Buckingham Palace announced earlier this week that the Cop26 decision was made.
“Her Majesty regretfully has decided to not travel to Glasgow to attend Cop26’s evening reception on Monday, November 1.
“Her Majesty is sorry not to attend the reception, but will deliver an address via recorded video message to the assembled delegate.
The palace has not yet explained why the Queen was taken last week to hospital. The palace initially stated that the monarch was at Windsor after it was announced that she had cancelled her visit to Northern Ireland.
36 hours later, news had leaked, a spokesperson confirmed that she was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London for preliminary investigation’.
Aides hoped that the head-of-state would be well enough for the Royal Family to be led at the summit by the Head of State, either via video-link or in person.
She returned to Windsor on Tuesday, where she is now resting on doctors orders.
These pictures show her face as she greets Gunn Kim, the new ambassador of the Republic of Korea, at Buckingham Palace. She also spoke with Markus Leitner (the new Swiss ambassador).
Cop26 organizers will be hurt by the Queen’s decision to not attend.
Few people have the same authority and respect as the British monarch.
It is hoped that no world leaders will use the absence of the head state as a reason to not attend the summit,
It was revealed that Xi Jinping – the president of China and the planet’s largest polluter – has decided to skip the much-anticipated conference.
The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Duchess if Cornwall will still represent the Royal Family.
Senior royal aides stated that the Queen will be working hard behind-the scenes to make the summit a success.
She will record her video message at Windsor Castle later in the week. She has made it clear that she wants Cop26 to be a success, and to see meaningful actions.
Today’s engagement took place two days after The Queen was photographed at Windsor Castle, speaking to the South Korean ambassador. Also, she held an audience with Markus Leitner (ambassador from Switzerland), during which she spoke to him.
She also criticised earlier in the month the inaction of world leaders on climate change.
The Queen spoke at a reception after the official opening of the Welsh parliament and said that Cop26 was a topic she’d heard about. However, she didn’t know who would be coming. No idea. We know nothing about people who don’t come… It’s annoying when they talk, but it’s not.
Mail was told by a palace source that the Queen was being cautious and sensible by changing her plans.
They said that Her Majesty was following their advice and is resting and performing light duties. She remains in good spirits. Her Majesty was able to entertain today’s audiences and expects to call the Chancellor tonight, as is the custom before the Budget. There are still light engagements.
The Medical Household, her team royal physicians, is taking care of the monarch. However, the Mail revealed last week she had performed 19 engagements in October, which is a remarkable workload for a woman her age.
She was forced to use a walk stick in public two weeks back, which was a stark reminder her age.
October 16 — Queen Elizabeth II at Champions Day at Ascot Racing Course in Berkshire
October 13, 2019 — Queen Elizabeth II receives Dame Imogen Cooper at Buckingham Palace in London. There, she was presented with The Queen’s Medal For Music 2019.
October 12, 2012 — Queen Elizabeth II walks with a stick when she arrives at Westminster Abbey in London.
Last Tuesday, the monarch was up for almost an hour as she hosted a lavish reception for Bill Gates, US climate envoy John Kerry and other guests. She looked bright and happy.
Buckingham Palace stated that she was’remaining in good spirits’. However, a royal source told The Sunday Times that she was ‘tired’.
A Mail insider revealed that the Mail’s private office would be constantly reviewing her diary and making any necessary changes.
It was also revealed that the Queen, who is deeply spiritual and rarely misses church, missed Sunday prayers at Windsor’s All Saints Chapel in Windsor.
After receiving medical advice to cancel her two-day Northern Ireland trip, she is now resting.
Following her return from Balmoral in September, the Queen had a busy schedule with engagements in October.
Her hospital stay was kept secret and was only confirmed by Palace when it was published in a newspaper.
It is rare that a major engagement would be cancelled at last minute. This suggests that staff are taking no chances on the elderly head of state’s wellbeing.
She has had to deal with a turbulent 18 months that included the death of the Duke and the bitter departure of Prince Harry, her husband, and Meghan.
October 10, 2012 — Queen Elizabeth II seen walking to The Royal Chapel of All Saints Windsor. She returns to church
The Queen keeps a busy schedule of events and audiences, and continues to deal with her daily red boxes of official papers.
Since her summer break at Balmoral, when she returned to Windsor, the Queen has performed 15 engagements, which are listed in the Court Circular. These include her audiences and an additional trip to Ascot.
Buckingham Palace senior aides are working hard to develop a strategy for managing Queen Elizabeth’s workload, after she was accused of misleading the general public about her health.
Sir Edward Young was the Queen’s private secretary and faced calls last night to ‘be ruthless’ and purge the Monarch of all functions not relevant to her position as head of state.
Officials are believed to be creating a core list of key events that Queen Elizabeth II will prioritize in the next 12 month, which includes the Platinum Jubilee to commemorate her 70-year reign in Juni.
It is reported that the Queen will be accompanied at all times by one of her children or grandchildren if she appears in public. This is to avoid cancelling and letting down the public in case of future health scares.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that another member of Royal Family will be there to help her if she has any problems.
The Palace’s communications team is under pressure from the public to be more open in the event that the Monarch, 95, needs further hospital visits.
Last week, the Queen’s courtiers were heavily criticised for failing to notify the public that she was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on Wednesday. She stayed there overnight for testing.
October 6, 2012 — Queen Elizabeth II gestures to members of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery as they celebrate the 150th Anniversary of A and B Batteries’ foundation at Windsor Castle.
The media was told she was resting at Windsor Castle. However, aides confirmed the hospital stay on Thursday night after news was leaked. This controversy has brought to light the challenges faced by the Palace when trying to balance the Queen’s desire for active leadership and her need to protect her health.
Sources close to the Royal Family claim that the relaxation of Covid restrictions led to a logjam in public events, putting pressure on Queen Elizabeth II’s calendar.
According to Buckingham Palace’s Court Circular, she attended 13 audiences or meetings, attended seven important events, and travelled nearly 900 miles since October 1, when she left Balmoral.
Additionally, she continues to read Government papers daily, delivered in red boxes.
Sally Bedell Smith, who is the author of a bestselling biography about the Queen, stated that “they have to find some sort of balance.”
Majesty magazine’s managing editor Joe Little said that the Queen’s autumn schedule was more packed than expected, but that cancellations at the last minute were almost inevitable.
Mr. Little stated that ‘Every now, again, there will be a reminder that she’s 95 and can’t do the things she was expected to do 10, 20, and 20 years ago’.
Last week, Nicholas Witchell, BBC’s veteran royal correspondent, was confronted by backlash after he asked whether Buckingham Palace had compromised public trust by failing reveal that the Queen had been admitted in hospital.
Mr Witchell made a direct statement, stating that journalists and the public hadn’t been given the whole picture.
He said, “The problem, it seems, is that misinformation and rumour always thrive in the absence proper, accurate, and trustworthy information.”
However, his remarks were met with online criticism. One Royal watcher on Twitter wrote that Nicholas Witchell’s remarks were “truly so frustrating.” ‘The Queen is 95. She’ll be in and around hospital for various tests, just like everyone else her age. She doesn’t have to reveal every detail of her life, she can still be proud of her dignity.
October 4, 2018 — The Queen is shown a baton that will carry her personal message at Buckingham Palace, London, ahead of the launch Queen’s Baton Relay to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
October 2, 2009 — Queen Elizabeth II meets First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, while Camilla, Duchess-of-Cornwall watches as the sixth session of Scotland’s Parliament opens.
The Queen was seen using a walkingstick for the first time during a major engagement at a Westminster Abbey service on Oct 12.
She was reported to be in good spirits on Thursday, October 21 after her hospital stay. She was back at work and performing light duties. However, she missed the Windsor church service on Sunday.
Royal sources informed the Sunday Times that Queen Elizabeth II was ‘knackered,’ due to her busy social life and preference towards late night television. They also mentioned that she had a busy schedule in October with a number of engagements.
Six months ago, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth’s husband of over 73 years, died at the young age of 99.
Buckingham Palace did not comment on whether or not the monarch had her booster Covid-19 injection, but it is likely given her age that she has.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said that “Her Majesty the Queen” conducted two virtual audiences today via video link from Windsor Castle.
‘His Excellency, Mr Gunn Kim was received today by The Queen via videolink and presented the Letters of Recall of His predecessor and his own Letters of Credence in his capacity as Ambassador from Republic of Korea to Court of St James’s.
Her Majesty also received Mrs Hee Jung Lee.
‘His Excellency Markus Leitner was received by The Queen in audience and presented the Letters of Recall of His Excellency and his own Letters of Credit as Ambassador from the Swiss Conffederation to Court of St. James’s. Her Majesty also received Mrs Leitner.