It’s a subject that royal courtiers had been hoping to avoid until at least the latter half of this year – but now, insiders say discussing the Queen’s future can’t be ignored any longer.
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This comes after Her Majesty, who turns 96 next month, was a no-show at the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, with aides deciding to cancel her attendance at such late notice that her name was still printed on the order of service.
Insiders say the choice was made with the Queen’s comfort in mind, as she recovers from COVID-19 and copes with mobility issues that recently saw her using a cane.
Palace sources say the almost one-hour trip from Windsor Castle to London would’ve been “too much” for the sovereign, who, according to British newspaper The Sun, hasn’t even been able to walk her beloved corgis since September.
The Queen’s office announced Prince Charles would attend as the guest of honour in her place, with the future monarch, 73, his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, all representing her magnificently.
“You could tell they were just putting on a brave face,” says an onlooker. “They didn’t stop to speak to as many people as usual, and when anyone enquired after the Queen, they gave benign answers.”
“Everyone wants to see her end her reign naturally,” says a source. “But some rather uncomfortable conversations are now being had at a very senior level.”
Our insider claims there are “real doubts” over whether she’ll be able to attend a memorial for her late husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, later this month, with one insider suggesting she may have to end up using a wheelchair.
“The bigger question is whether she’ll be physically able to attend her own Platinum Jubilee in June,” confides the source. “It’s hoped they’ll at least be able to get her there, and there’s no way she’d want to miss it – but it is a sensitive matter.”
The insider says Charles is “already King in all but name, with the way he’s been stepping in for his mother recently”.
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