His doctors admitted in a statement to be “concerned”. The Queen was placed under medical surveillance at her Scottish castle of Balmoral on Thursday as the UK is suddenly gripped by concern and emotion.
The royal family is gathered at the bedside of Queen Elizabeth II this Thursday, in Balmoral, Scotland, where she was placed Thursday under the supervision of her doctors. The latter said they were “concerned” about his state of health at midday, in a press release which contrasts with Buckingham’s usual discretion on his state of health. The 96-year-old monarch, with record longevity and immense popularity, whose 70th anniversary the United Kingdom celebrated in June, had seen her health deteriorate since a night in the hospital almost a year ago. a year, for reasons never specified.
Increasingly frail, she appeared only rarely in public, her services evoking episodic mobility problems, and delegated more and more duties to her direct heirs, Charles and William.
“Following a further assessment this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended that she remain under medical supervision. The Queen continues to feel well and remains at Balmoral,” the palace said, usually discreet on the health of Sovereign, in a brief press release.
His heir Charles, 73, arrived with his wife Camilla at Balmoral, where the Queen spends the end of summer every year, along with her daughter Anne. They were joined in the late afternoon by her two other children, Princes Andrew and Edward, and her grandson William, second in line of succession.
The latter’s wife, Kate, remained in Windsor where their three children George, Charlotte and Louis were spending their first full day at their new school.
Prince Harry, who lives in California, has taken the direction of Scotland, but his wife Meghan, according to British media, remained in London where the couple was to participate in a ceremony.
– Biden “in thoughts” with the Queen –
In her final public appearance, the Queen on Tuesday formalized the appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, her 15th head of government.
She had decided to stay at Balmoral instead of returning to London, where the transition between prime ministers usually takes place, because of her health problems.
Footage released by the palace showed the frail sovereign, smiling and leaning on a cane, shaking hands with the new ruler.
“The entire country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace,” tweeted Liz Truss, as messages of sympathy poured in, including from abroad.
US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are “in thoughts with the Queen and her family”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised her “courage”: “She represents the whole history of Europe, our common home with our British friends”.
At Buckingham Palace in London, a sign was put out to inform visitors that the Changing of the Guard would not take place. Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of Britons and tourists flocked.
“I was hoping that the Scottish air would do him good …” coward in front of the palace Elizabeth Jackson, 66, named in honor of the queen. “The problems have multiplied for a year, it’s worrying. She looked good when she received Liz Truss”.
“It was to be expected, she became very frail, it’s sad,” observes Ken Cross, an Australian tourist.
– Questions about the future –
On Wednesday evening, the palace announced that the queen had postponed an online meeting, her doctors having advised her to rest, another cancellation in a long series for a year.
In May, Charles had delivered in his place for the first time the speech from the throne in Parliament, one of his essential constitutional functions.
In early June, the British had celebrated for four days the 70 years of reign of Elizabeth II, who is the oldest monarch in the world in office.
She remained almost absent from this platinum jubilee, showing herself only twice briefly on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of tens of thousands of people.
Elizabeth II has been a widow since the death of her husband Philip in April 2021, shortly before her 100th birthday. The decline of the health of the queen, who came to the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, after the death of her father George VI, has revived questions about the future of the monarchy.
The institution has been rocked by a series of scandals in recent months: accusations of sexual assault in the United States against her son Andrew, who ended it by paying millions of dollars, as well as allegations of racism targeting the family royal, from his grandson Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, now cold with the rest of the family.
The post-Elizabeth II period promises to be more complicated with Charles, whose popularity is much lower. The British prefer Prince William and his wife Kate, who are more modern.
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