The Queen is to remain in Scotland to receive Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his replacement, Buckingham Palace has said.
The 96-year-old monarch, who has faced ongoing mobility issues, traditionally holds audiences with outgoing and incoming premiers at Buckingham Palace.
But Mr Johnson, who will tender his resignation, and the new Conservative Party leader who will be asked to form a government – either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak – will travel to Balmoral for the key audiences on Tuesday September 6 instead.
The Queen is on her traditional summer break in the Scottish Highlands.
A Palace spokesman confirmed the decision on Wednesday.
It is understood the decision was taken at this stage in order to provide certainty for the Prime Minister’s diary.
If the Queen had experienced an episodic mobility issue next week and the plan had been to travel to London or Windsor, it would have led to alternative arrangements at the last minute.
The Sun reported at the weekend that the Prince of Wales has been making regular morning visits to see his mother as she continues to struggle with her mobility, with the unplanned visits considered highly unusual.
Buckingham Palace declined to give an ongoing commentary on the monarch’s health.
During her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the Queen only travelled to Buckingham Palace twice, first for her Trooping the Colour balcony appearance and then for a finale after the pageant.
She spends most of her time at Windsor Castle, 22 miles from central London, living there during the pandemic and while major renovations take place at Buckingham Palace, and for her comfort.
As head of state, it is the Queen’s duty to appoint the prime minister who leads Her Majesty’s Government.
The Royal Encyclopedia states that the appointment of a prime minister is “one of the few remaining personal prerogatives of the sovereign”.
The monarch does not act on advice nor need to consult anyone before calling upon the leader with an overall majority of seats in the House of Commons to form a government.
