There are fears for the Queen's health as a traditional, annual event has been cancelled at short notice. The Queen had been due to attend the ceremony in Scotland today but it was cancelled and replaced with a “small, private event”.
According to The Mirror, the Queen was still intending to attend the event at Balmoral where she meets locals at the start of her annual holiday, but the tradition was cancelled at the last minute. A royal source said: “The traditional welcome to Balmoral is normally cemented in the Queen’s calendar and something Her Majesty really enjoys, being able to greet locals who travel to see her.
“It’s a bitter disappointment the ceremony will not take place in its traditional form.”
Buckingham Palace said the new private ceremony was “in line with adapting Her Majesty’s schedule for her comfort”.
The Queen usually would also usually inspect a Guard of Honour from Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland. This year she will instead attend a private occasion on the Balmoral lawns within the confines of the Castle.
No TV cameras, photographers or reporters are invited. The Queen has recently been forced to miss other events including a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral and the Epsom Derby due to tiredness. Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral estate recently had a “wheelchair-friendly” lift fitted ahead of the Queen’s plans to spend more time at the retreat in the Highlands. A new security gate, intercom system and CCTV cameras have also been installed.
