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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jennifer Newton

Beaming Queen makes Justin Trudeau laugh at first in-person engagement since Covid

The Queen looked delighted to be back to work as she carried out her first in-person engagement since recovering from Covid-19, making Justin Trudeau giggle during their meeting at Windsor Castle.

Earlier today, she held an in-person audience with the Canadian Prime Minister, who is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Boris Johnson and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte.

Pictures from the audience show the Queen in a beautiful patterned dress in her private sitting room in Windsor Castle shaking hands with Mr Trudeau and chatting with him.

The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late.

The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, has a strong bond with the country - and the Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination.

It is the Queen's first in-person engagement since recovering from Covid (PA)

She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits.

As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canada’s longest-serving prime ministers.

The meeting today comes more than two weeks after Buckingham Palace confirmed Her Majesty had tested positive for the virus and was experiencing mild symptoms.

At the time, the Palace insisted the Queen, who is triple vaccinated, would be continuing light duties at her desk.

Mr Trudeau is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson (PA)

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Afterwards, she did cancel two virtual audiences she was due to hold due to her symptoms - although she was well enough to hold her weekly audience with the Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the phone.

However, last week she felt better enough to carry out a series of virtual audiences from Windsor Castle with various ambassadors.

Before today, the Queen last carried out an in-person engagement almost three weeks ago, meeting the incoming Defence Services Secretary Major General Eldon Millar and his predecessor Rear Admiral James Macleod.

The Queen was diagnosed with Covid more than two weeks ago (PA)

However many royal watchers were concerned when she was overheard saying she couldn't move in footage from the engagement.

The monarch could be heard remarking loudly: “Oh. I’m here! I thought you might have just stayed in there for ages. Good morning.”

Asked how she was, the smiling Queen, wearing a floral dress and holding a walking stick, pointed to her left leg or foot and responded: “Well as you can see I can’t move.”

Covid is the latest in a number of health issues for the Queen, but she was said to be feeling "much better" after a tough few months at the end of last year.

She was forced to spend the night in hospital in October after receiving treatment for an unexplained condition and pulled out of the annual Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in central London due to a sprained back.

However, she has a number of major engagements coming up in March.

She is due to attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14 and then the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service, also at the Abbey, on March 29.

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