Britain’s Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday that Queen Elizabeth has canceled a scheduled visit to Northern Ireland and “reluctantly” accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days.
In a statement, the palace said, "Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements” Wednesday and Thursday.
The statement went on to say the queen sends her “warmest good wishes” to the people of Northern Ireland and looks forward to visiting them in the future.
The announcement comes days after Elizabeth was seen using a walking stick at a Westminster Abbey service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion, an armed forces charity.
She reportedly had previously been photographed using a cane in 2003, but that was after she underwent knee surgery. The Associated Press cites a source saying the queen's recent decision was not related to COVID-19.
The 95-year-old queen, who was widowed this year, is the world's longest-reigning monarch. She maintains a busy schedule of royal duties. On Tuesday, she held audiences with diplomats and hosted a reception at Windsor Castle for global business leaders.
Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press and Reuters.
