The Queen has become so frail that she has been unable to walk her dogs for the last six months, according to Buckingham Palace sources.
Her pets - two corgis and a dorgi (which is crossed with a dachshund) - are now taken for their daily exercise at Windsor Castle by the Queen's aides and that has reportedly been the case ever since she was admitted to hospital in October. The Palace have also confirmed that the 95-year-old monarch will not be attending the Commonwealth Day service on Monday, although no reason has been given for her absence.
She will be represented instead by Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will not be there either with the former having tested positive for Covid. The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis in her life, but it is felt that she might not be in a condition to ever walk them again, The Sun reports.
A palace source said: “She is not well enough. The Queen usually turns to her beloved corgis in time of crisis and stress and took them out almost every day after Philip fell ill and then died last year. They are an enormous source of solace, so it is a real shame.”
The Queen recently recovered from Covid after she tested positive on February 20 and was described as having "mild cold-like symptoms". She has not met a group of people in public since February 5 and the Commonwealth Day service was scheduled to be her first major public appearance since last month marked her Platinum Jubilee on the throne.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said she believed the Queen would be “determined”, however, to be present at the Westminster Abbey Thanksgiving Service, dedicated to her husband Philip on March 29. Ms Seward said: “It would have been a huge wrench to miss the Commonwealth Day service but she is facing a dilemma these days where she must choose her engagements wisely.
"She will be very determined to make the Duke of Edinburgh’s Thanksgiving service later this month, which will be of incredible importance to her considering his funeral was so scaled back. Her Majesty, I believe, is very like her mother, who was reluctant to use a wheelchair, so in her advancing years it’s about projecting herself as much as possible for the big occasions."
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
