Queen Elizabeth has been advised to take it easy and rest for at least two weeks following some difficulties with her health. But the monarch also didn’t let her doctor’s orders stop her from jumping behind the wheel of her Jaguar this week for a drive around Windsor Castle.
Buckingham Palace announced in a statement on Friday that the Queen’s doctors told her to rest and not undertake any official visits. “Her Majesty’s doctors have advised that she should continue to rest for at least the next two weeks. The doctors have advised that Her Majesty can continue to undertake light, desk-based duties during this time, including some virtual audiences, but not to undertake any official visits,” the palace said. That revelation also comes a little over a week after the royal spent a night in the hospital for what was described by her spokesman as “preliminary investigations.” The Queen also had to cancel her scheduled appearance at the COP26 summit, the largest gathering of world leaders to ever take place on British soil, but a royal source told CNN that she recorded her speech on Friday and it will be played during the event. The insider added that the monarch “remain[s] in good spirits,” continues “light duties,” and thinks her doctor’s advice was a “sensible precaution.”
And on Monday, the Queen was spotted performing one of those light duties, driving herself around her Windsor Castle estate in a green Jaguar. She wore a headscarf and sunglasses while chauffeuring herself about the property, marking her first time being seen in public in recent weeks. Last week, however, she did also make a brief appearance on a video call on behalf of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, appearing to be in good spirits and even cracking a joke or two. In addition to having to temporarily give up overexerting activities, the royal was reportedly recently ordered to give up horseback riding and martinis as well.
On Saturday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Channel 4 News in Rome, “I spoke to Her Majesty and she’s on very good form. She’s just got to follow the advice of her doctors and get some rest and I think that’s the important thing. I think the whole country wishes her well.”
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