Queen Elizabeth will miss Friday's Service of Thanksgiving after experiencing some discomfort at a military parade on Thursday, said Buckingham Palace, as reported by news agency Reuters. She will not attend the event at St Paul’s Cathedral in London to mark her Platinum Jubilee. Her son Prince Andrew will also miss the even as he tested Covid-19 positive.
The queen was suppose to attend the service at St Paul's Cathedral on the second day of celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee.
Earlier on Thursday Queen Elizabeth stepped onto the Buckingham Palace balcony drawing wild cheers from thousands of her well wishers who came to join her to mark the start of the four-day celebrations of her 70 years on the throne.
Due to the length of the journey and time involved, and the physical demands the service would require, the decision by the queen to pull out of the Thanksgiving is being considered a right move. The queen had initially expressed desire to attend the function.
"The queen greatly enjoyed today's birthday parade and flypast but did experience some discomfort," said Buckingham Palace in a statement on Thursday, as reported by news agency AFP. The statement also said that the decision to not attend the function was taken with "great reluctance" by the queen.
"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 statement added, reported news agency AFP.