Queen Elizabeth II will miss the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday after experiencing “some discomfort” at her platinum jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.
The monarch, 96, will miss the service on Friday “with great reluctance” but will still attend a beacon-lighting event at Windsor Castle on Thursday evening, the palace said.
It is believed the queen experienced episodic mobility issues during Thursday’s events.
The decision was regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved, as well as the physical demands the service would require, the palace said.
“The queen greatly enjoyed today’s birthday parade and fly-past but did experience some discomfort,” a statement issued on Thursday evening said.
“Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s national service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, her majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.
“The queen is looking forward to participating in tonight’s beacon-lighting event at Windsor Castle and would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.”
The monarch took centre stage at her historic celebrations on Thursday, greeting crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony, surrounded by her family.
Huge cheers erupted from thousands of well-wishers packed on to The Mall in central London as the queen appeared to watch the fly-past after Trooping the Colour.
Wearing sunglasses, the sovereign looked joyful as she surveyed the patriotic scenes, smiling broadly as she watched the aircraft display.
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The Duchess of Cambridge wears a white dress coat, thought to be Alexander McQueen, with a black and white Philip Treacy hat and a pair of sapphire earrings for Trooping the Colour. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II wore a summery shade of light blue to watch the Trooping the Colour parade. PA -
Left; Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who wore a blue striped dress coat and wide-brimmed blue hat. Right; Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. Reuters -
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wears a pink gingham dress coat with a pink hat. Getty Images -
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte. Getty Images -
Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. AFP
It was the second of two appearances from the queen on the balcony on Thursday — the start of an extended jubilee weekend marking her 70-year-reign.
Earlier, she joined her cousin, the Duke of Kent, on the famous frontage to receive a salute from her soldiers returning from Trooping the Colour, after the Prince of Wales performed her duties on the parade ground.
Eighteen members of the royal family including the queen stepped out to watch the fly-past, with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, flanking the monarch.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leads the lighting of the principal jubilee beacon, part of the platinum jubilee celebrations, at Windsor Castle. Reuters -
Fireworks explode above Blackpool Tower to celebrate the jubilee. Reuters -
The 'Tree Of Trees' by designer Thomas Heatherwick at a special ceremony for the lighting of the principal beacon at Buckingham Palace, London. AFP -
Thousands wait for the royal family to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, on the first day of celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee. AP -
The Trooping the Colour ceremony is carried out at Horse Guards, London. AP -
French President Emmanuel Macron stands next to British ambassador to France Menna Rawlings, after rekindling the flame under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to mark the British queen's platinum jubilee. Reuters -
Francis Mwangi, 13, uses an Oculus virtual reality headset to visit Buckingham Palace virtually during platinum jubilee celebrations in Nyeri, Kenya. Reuters -
The Red Arrows perform a flypast over the Horse Guards parade, London. Trooping The Colour is a military ceremony performed by regiments of the British Army. It has taken place since the mid-17th century. Getty Images -
Prince Louis holds his ears as he stands next to Queen Elizabeth, his mother Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte and Prince George to watch a special flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony. AFP -
Crowds gather to watch a flypast by the Red Arrows during Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee celebrations. EPA -
Royal fans wear Queen Elizabeth masks during jubilee celebrations. EPA -
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince Charles greet royal well-wishers near Buckingham Palace. Bloomberg -
Spectators watch the RAF flypast on The Mall after the Trooping the Colour parade in London. Getty Images -
The RAF flypast on The Mall to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on February 6, 1952. Getty Images -
From left, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales , Queen Elizabeth II , the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and the Duke of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to view the RAF flypast on day one of the platinum jubilee celebrations. PA -
Members of the public fill The Mall ahead of a fly-past over Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour in London. Trooping The Colour, also known as The Queen's Birthday Parade, is a military ceremony performed by regiments of the British Army that has taken place since the mid-17th century. Getty Images -
Members of the Honourable Artillery Company perform a gun salute during celebrations to mark the platinum jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, at the Tower of London. Reuters -
The Royal Gun Salute in Cardiff to mark the start of the platinum jubilee weekend. AP -
Queen Elizabeth II watches from the balcony during Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade, central London, on day one of the platinum jubilee weekend celebrations. PA -
Prince Charles being driven to the parade. Getty -
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at the Trooping the Colour parade. Getty -
Police officers intervene as protesters try to disrupt the ceremony during the queen's platinum Jubilee celebrations on The Mall in London. Reuters -
The Mall is packed for the wekeend's celebrations. PA -
The Kings Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery ride down The Mall on their way to fire the ceremonial gun. AP -
(L-R) Prince George of Cambridge, Prince Louis of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge travel in a horse-drawn carriage during Trooping The Colour. Getty -
An Irish wolfhound leads as soldiers march along The Mall. AP -
Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex ride in a carriage as the Royal Procession leaves Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Color ceremony. AP -
The BT tower in central London bears a message to Queen Elizabeth II. AFP -
The 206 Battery of the Royal Artillery, the Ulster Gunners, fire a midday commemorative gun salute in honour of the beginning of the queen's platinum jubilee celebrations, at Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland. Reuters -
Sydney Harbour Bridge is illuminated in 'Royal Purple' to mark the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. AP -
The 105th Regiment Royal Artillery, The Scottish and Ulster Gunners during the royal gun salute at Edinburgh Castle. PA -
Marching in Horse Guards Parade, central London. Getty -
People gather at The Mall in London to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee. Reuters -
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is driven along The Mall. Huge crowds are expected in the city as the UK marks the jubilee. AFP -
The Band of the Welsh Guards make their way to the Trooping the Colour event in London. AP -
The platinum jubilee marks the 70th anniversary of the queen taking the throne. Reuters -
Jubilant crowds in London. Reuters -
A Buckingham Palace staff member cleans the balcony where the queen is expected to wave to well-wishers. AFP -
A man walks his corgis Chuckles and Bunting down The Mall during the celebrations. Reuters -
Police officers cycle down The Mall. Reuters -
The Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery fires field guns at Point Jerningham, to mark the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, in Wellington, New Zealand. AP -
The official platinum jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth, taken at Windsor Castle recently. Photo: Buckingham Palace -
Larry the Cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, sits outside Downing Street, London, adorned in bunting before the platinum jubilee celebrations, in London. AP -
A look-alike of Queen Elizabeth waves at people in London. The queen's platinum jubilee will be celebrated from June 2 to June 5 to mark the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne on February 6, 1952. EPA -
People walk along The Mall in London, before the start of the Queen's platinum jubilee weekend. AP -
Joseph Afrane, 58, originally from Ghana, lives in Battersea, London, and is planning to attend all the official platinum jubilee events. PA -
Twins Linda Whitfield and Janice Jones, 59, from County Durham, are camping on The Mall to ensure they have a good view of the celebrations. PA -
Members of the public walk through Piccadilly Circus before the platinum jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth. AFP
The queen leaned over to chat animatedly with her great-grandson Prince Louis, 4, who at one stage covered his ears and had his eyes tightly shut as the aircraft thundered overhead.
He was also spotted resting his chin on his hand and waving towards the sky.
The six-minute fly-past featuring more than 70 aircraft, including Apache helicopters, Typhoons and the Red Arrows, flew over the palace.
Fifteen RAF Typhoons paid a special tribute to the monarch’s record-breaking reign, flying in formation to create the number 70, prompting smiles from the queen.
Dressed in a dusky dove-blue Angela Kelly coat that she wore for her official jubilee portrait and a matching hat, the queen was holding a walking stick and wearing the Guards’ Badge on her coat.
