A traditional welcome to Balmoral Castle hosted by The Queen has been axed raising fresh health concerns for the 96-year-old monarch. Her Majesty was due to be at the event tomorrow but it has been cancelled and replaced with a “small, private event", The Mirror reports.
The paper understands that she was fully intending on being there until just days ago. It will be the first time in decades that she will not be at the Scottish event to mark the start of her annual holiday.
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.”
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Buckingham Palace last night tried to lower concerns over the monarch’s health, insisting the private ceremony was “in line with adapting Her Majesty’s schedule for her comfort”. The Queen usually would inspect a Guard of Honour from Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The Queen, who serves as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will instead attend a private occasion on the Balmoral lawns within the confines of the Castle. She will still cast her eye over the soldiers but there will be no TV cameras, photographers or reporters invited.
The Queen was able to attend two major events during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, including Trooping the Colour. But the sovereign was forced to miss other events including a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral and the Epsom Derby due to tiredness.
The Queen has been staying at the smaller Craigowan Lodge on her estate since arriving in Scotland on July 21. On Saturday, a lorry with furniture brought up from Windsor was seen at the castle and she is expected to move in there from tomorrow. It will then be closed to the public until she leaves.
It has 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.
Royal sources confirmed the Queen will interrupt her holiday to travel to England and invite her 15th Prime Minister to form a government when Boris Johnson quits on September 6.
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