Queen Camilla Forced to Postpone Engagement for the Third Time, Raising Concerns Among Doctors While the Palace Attributes It to a “Troublesome Virus”
Queen Camilla (77), wife of King Charles III (76), has been battling a persistent respiratory infection since early November, as announced by the palace. The 77-year-old has repeatedly underestimated the symptoms of the post-viral infection and returned to her royal duties too quickly. Now, the palace reports yet another setback. Although the statements are meant to reassure, concerns about the Queen’s health are growing.
A spokesperson stated:
“Her Majesty has been suffering from a chest infection caused by a troublesome virus—common in such cases—which continues to produce lingering side effects, significantly depleting Her Majesty’s energy reserves. Doctors have therefore advised rest.”
They recommended adjustments to the Queen’s schedule for the upcoming state visit by the Emir of Qatar and his first wife, who arrived in London on Monday for the visit scheduled for Tuesday, December 3.
Despite her optimism about recovery, even after several absences, as demonstrated during the Booker Prize reception at Clarence House on November 12, another setback has now occurred. Queen Camilla also had to cancel her participation in Remembrance Day events. The palace has now announced that Her Majesty will not attend the state visit reception but will only be present at the lunch held at Buckingham Palace.
For Queen Camilla, the State Visit Becomes a Balancing Act for Her Health
As for the state banquet, the palace has taken a carefully calculated approach, which has only heightened concerns about Camilla’s “exhaustion”:
“At the state banquet, Her Majesty will meet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (44), and his wife, Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani (40), participate briefly in the reception line [where the royal couple greets guests briefly], and then withdraw. It has been confirmed that Her Majesty will attend the dinner,” said the palace.
Queen Camilla will also participate in the farewell ceremony on Wednesday. However, it has become apparent that rest breaks of about half an hour will now be necessary.
The palace spokesperson further explained:
“Camilla simply needs time to rest and fully recover; every remaining day of the week will be focused on recuperation.”
Given that the medical team has been attending to Camilla since early November, it is surprising that her recovery seems to have been disrupted by unpredictable setbacks. Yet, the spokesperson downplayed the situation:
“Cases with such post-viral fatigue symptoms can occur, fluctuating and persisting for several weeks.”
Queen Camilla’s ongoing infection has forced her to withdraw from previous events, most notably in early November, when she missed several Remembrance Day engagements. She stepped back from the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance and the traditional Cenotaph wreath-laying ceremony, attended by King Charles and other British dignitaries. Instead, the palace stated that the Queen was reflecting “privately at home.”
