LONDON (CU)_Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday made her first appearance since her COVID scare last week, after her son Prince Charles tested positive for COVID-19 just two days after meeting with her. During her latest appearance, Her Majesty met with outgoing Defence Services Secretary Rear Admiral James Macleod and Major General Eldon Millar, who will soon take over the position.
A video from the meeting, which was held at Windsor Castle, showed the Queen saying “I’m here!” with a smile, as the two men entered the room. When the paused and asked Her Majesty how she was, the 95-year-old monarch holding a walking cane replied: “Well, as you can see, I can’t move.” Then she shuffled forward to greet the two met who walked forward to shake her hand.
Reuters recently reported that according to a palace source, rather than being unwell or having injured herself, the Queen had been feeling “slightly stiff” lately. In October last year, Queen Elizabeth stepped out with a walking stick for the first time since 2003, when she was recovering from a knee surgery. The event in October was a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, and since then, Her Majesty has used a cane on several occasions. This includes a reception at Sandringham House on her Accession Day, during which she used a walking stick which was previously used by her late-husband Prince Philip.
Last year, the Queen was forced to cancel several engagements scheduled for the end of 2021, after being told to rest by doctors after she was hospitalised on 20 October. She also made a last-minute decision to not appear at a Remembrance Day event in November due to a sprained back.