Queen Camilla health update ‘no cause for alarm’ as royal set to miss parts of Qatari state visit: ‘She’s taking it easy’
Queen Camilla is “taking it easy” and “pacing herself” as she has been forced to withdraw from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first major state visit.
The senior royal will miss out on parts of the event at Buckingham Palace, as the Emir of Qatar and his wife will greet King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate, alongside Starmer.
The Queen withdrew from the Remembrance Sunday Weekend and the Royal Variety Performance earlier this month, after contracting a chest infection following her trip to Australia and Samoa with the King.
Royal doctors have advised Camilla to take time to rest and recover fully, but is expected to attend other elements of the day, according to Buckingham Palace.
Sharing the latest on Camilla’s health, Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer told GB News that she “does get chest infections at this time of year quite regularly”, and her latest absence from duty should be “no cause for alarm”.
Palmer revealed: “We’re being cautioned not to worry, that it’s just a chest infection. I understand she’s suffering from a bit of sort of post-viral fatigue.
“I think she’s just pacing herself, taking it easy. So from what we understand, no cause for alarm.”
Noting how the illness will impact her presence at the Qatari state visit, Palmer stressed that although she will not be “out in the cold” for events on Horse Guards Parade, Camilla will still be involved in “parts of the day”.
Palmer told GB News: “It makes sense not to go out in the cold on Horse Guards Parade today, but to stay inside.
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“She’ll be involved in most parts of the the visit still, but just taking a break from the parade and also a little bit of the state banquet.”
He added: “She’ll just have a little rest in between the photos and the start of the meal.”
Turning the discussion to Princess Kate, who will be making an appearance at the Palace, Palmer assured that her return to duties is still very much “slow and gentle”.
Palmer stated: “It has been very gentle, very slow, at her own pace, and it’s looking encouraging.
“This is probably going to be her busiest week of the year for official engagements.”
Detailing the efforts Kate has gone to for her fourth annual Christmas carol concert, Palmer concluded: “And of course, this carol concert, although she’s got an army of people helping her, it takes a lot of planning, she’s doing the full deal.
“I asked whether the program might be cut a little to take account of her recovery, but no, she’s doing everything she’s done before. So I think those are really encouraging signs.
“And of course, Prince William, when he was in South Africa, said that he was hoping that she would be able to go on at least one foreign trip next year. So I think, nobody’s saying it’s all over yet. We know that she’s not having chemotherapy now, but we don’t know that she’s finished all treatment necessarily. So it may take a while yet, but I think the signs are positive.”