Queen Elizabeth II misses Remembrance Sunday service after spraining back

Buckingham Palace says the sprain is not related to an ailment that forced the queen to take time off last month

The UK's Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London because she has sprained her back.

“Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service,” Buckingham Palace said.

It would have been the 95-year-old monarch's first in-person public appearance since being advised by doctors to rest after spending a night in hospital last month. It was her first overnight stay in hospital since 2013.

A palace source said her injury was not related to the ailment that caused her to be admitted to hospital, Reuters reported.

The queen hopes to continue with her schedule of light official duties next week.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the queen was "very well" when he saw her recently.

"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."

Members of the royal family join senior members of the government, representatives of the military and veterans to commemorate those who died in conflict by laying wreaths at the Cenotaph.

Prince Charles lay a wreath on behalf of his mother, as he has done in previous years.

The queen initially planned to watch the annual service in London from a balcony, as she has done since 2017, when she handed over some duties to younger members of the royal family.