Queen States She "Is Feeling Better And Will Host Christmas"

Nov 26, 2021 by apost team

Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning monarch of England, and nothing has so far stopped her from carrying out all of her royal duties, no matter what circumstances were thrown her way. Despite such a difficult past year for the royal family, the queen has continued to go above and beyond to carry out all of her responsibilities and see over all of the members of the royal family. 

She went through her unfortunate share of hardships during 2021, as her longtime husband, Prince Philip, passed away, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their official publicized departure from the family. With the couple's departure, Harry and Meghan's duties as active members of the royal family were forced to be redistributed to other members, with the queen making all the big decisions and having the final say.

It's safe to say that the queen has had to deal with several overwhelming emotions throughout the past few months, and it seems as if health problems are now adding to her already significant burden. While she was recently still up and about and holding strong despite needing to use a cane, the queen ended up canceling her appearance at the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph. The queen also had to cancel her five-yearly visit to General Synod, the national assembly of the Church of England.

However, the queen always puts family first, and after making sure to be part of the rare royal double christening of her great-grandchildren, which took place at the Royal Lodge in Windsor on November 21, 2021, she is now preparing to host the family Christmas.

The public is used to seeing the queen at her very best all the time, so there has been some recent concern for her health as she recovers from a back injury. However, Elizabeth has made sure to attend important events in any way that she can, and though she could not be present for her five-yearly visit to General Synod, which is the national assembly of the Church of England, she made sure to be there for the rare event of a royal double christening. Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, hosted the joint baptism of their sons at the Royal Lodge in Windsor according to BBC News. 

Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank was born in February 2021, while Zara and Mike Tindall's son, Lucas Philip Tindall was born in March 2021. Evening Standard reported that this christening was the first time in modern history that there has been a double royal christening in the UK. Previously, in Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik's twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were christened together in 2011.

The private service was attended by immediate members of the family and close friends, which included the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The queen's attendance came just days after she returned to public duties after a short break on the advice of a doctor and a sprained back. BBC News reported that Elizabeth, 95, returned to public engagements on November 17, 2021, when she was pictured having a face-to-face audience with General Nick Carter, who is the chief of the defense staff at Windsor Castle. Previously, she had been out of the public eye for nearly a month after she was advised by doctors to rest after spending a night in hospital on Oct. 20 for medical checks.

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According to the Daily Mail, the queen is further on the mend. Sources close to the news publisher claim that the monarch is expected to travel to her Norfolk estate around December 17. Traditionally, the queen used to travel to the usual estate used for the royal family's Christmas by public train. Getting on the Sandringham train in London, she would enjoy a short ride on the public transportation system until King's Lynn, a charming small town in Norfolk, England. Once at her destination, a car would be waiting to take her to the royal estate nearby.

This year, owing to her recent health scare as well as the ongoing pandemic situation, the train ride may not come to pass. As the Daily Mail reports, it is currently being discussed whether a 50-minute helicopter ride from London to King's Lynn might be an alternative. 

However, no matter how she will reach the Norfolk estate, the queen is expected to host several family members for a traditional family Christmas. The Daily Mail cites a source as saying:

"The Queen has told everyone she is feeling far better of late and is very much looking forward to welcoming them for Christmas. Like many other families, this will be the first time Her Majesty can gather with her extended family after being kept apart for so long due to the coronavirus pandemic."

Among the expected guests are, of course, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla as well as Prince William, Duchess Catherine and their three children. The exact guest list is as of yet unknown.

It's good to hear that the queen will be able to enjoy a Christmas with her family close by. What are your plans for this Christmas? Tell us what you think and pass this along!