Queen to miss Buckingham Palace garden parties amid ongoing health concerns

Kate Buck
·Breaking News Editor, Yahoo News UK
·2 min read

Watch: Queen to miss royal garden parties

The Queen will not be attending any Buckingham Palace garden parties this year, it has been confirmed.

The garden parties did not go ahead last year or in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year they are scheduled to be held on 11, 18 and 25 May.

The parties are important events in the royal calendar as those who have served their country or communities are invited to the monarch’s home.

Her Majesty will also miss out on 29 June's party at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Instead she will be represented by other members of the Royal Family.

Queen Elizabeth II during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London.
The Queen during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London. (PA)

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Her Majesty the Queen will be represented by other members of the Royal Family at this year’s garden parties, with details on attendance to be confirmed in due course.”

It comes as the 96-year-old has faced a number of concerns over her health and has pulled out of a number of events in recent weeks and months.

The head of state, who has mobility issues, has been carrying out virtual engagements and her other duties.

Visitors enjoy picnics on the lawn during a preview of the Garden at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II's official residence in London, which opens to members of the public on Friday. Visitors will be able to picnic in the garden and explore the open space for the first time. Picture date: Thursday July 8, 2021.
The parties are important events in the royal calendar as those who have served their country or communities are invited to the monarch’s home. (PA)

She is due to attend the state opening of parliament in less than two weeks’ time, on 10 May but confirmation is expected closer to the time or on the actual day.

The queen is likely to be represented by the Prince of Wales, with Charles is the likely candidate to read the Queen’s speech which sets out the government’s policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session.

In her 70-year reign, the Queen has only missed two openings of parliament – in 1959, the year she was pregnant with the Duke of York, and 1963, when she was pregnant with the Earl of Wessex.

Queen Elizabeth II (bottom), the Duke of Sussex, Princess Eugenie (top left) and Princess Beatrice during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London.
The Queen pictured with Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and the Duke of Sussex during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London in 2018. (PA)
Queen Elizabeth II greets guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London.
The parties are important events in the royal calendar as those who have served their country or communities are invited to the monarch’s home. (PA)

The Queen attended a service commemorating the life of the Duke of Edinburgh in March with senior royals and a congregation of hundreds.

She reached her Platinum Jubilee in February, overcame a bout of COVID-19 after testing positive that month, and celebrated her 96th birthday privately on 21 April at her Sandringham estate.

Last October, the Queen spent a night in hospital and spent the following three months under doctors’ orders to only conduct light duties and missed a number of prominent events.