The Queen is unable to attend the traditional Maundy Thursday church service next week, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The Queen, who has been experiencing mobility issues, said she is "regretfully unable to commit" to the Easter event which has always been seen as a key fixture in the royal calendar, the Mirror reports. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will take her place at the service, Buckingham Palace said.
This is the first time Prince Charles has represented his mother at the event, Wales Online reports. His role will see him follow the ancient tradition of distributing Maundy money to pensioners on Thursday.
The Maundy Thursday service has been cancelled for the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Queen was keen for the arrangements for this year's event to be confirmed to avoid any misunderstanding or for the day to be overshadowed.
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It comes as the Queen has been forced to pull out of several high profile events in recent weeks, including the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. The decision to cancel her appearance then was understood to be related to her comfort in travelling the 26-mile journey from Windsor Castle to London.
Last week, the monarch attended a service commemorating the life of the Duke of Edinburgh with senior royals and a congregation of hundreds. She has been carrying out virtual events and her other duties as head of state.
