Queen returns to Windsor Castle for Platinum Jubilee

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The life and reign of Her Majesty will be celebrated across the next four days in an array of events up and down the country. However, while the Queen will surely want to be in the thick of it, she should be expected to be less present during this Jubilee than in past years due to the episodic mobility issues she has been experiencing over the past few months. 

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Alastair Bruce, Sky News royal commentator, told Express.co.uk: “For The Queen, all the Jubilee events are important, but like all of us, she wakes up with the reality of herself every day.

“On each day, I’m certain she will try her best, but nobody would expect someone who’s 96 to be made uncomfortable at an event that can be celebrated for her by everyone else who’s feeling good that day.

“The mobility issues have been recurring, but from time to time, she is relieved of whatever is making her uncomfortable, as we saw at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.”

Mr Bruce analysed the announced events taking place over the extended bank holiday weekend, saying there are higher chances for the Queen to be seen at the service in honour of her reign and life than at other engagements.

He continued: “I think, if she were to choose one day on which she would most appreciate to feel well, it would probably be the Friday when she can go to St Paul’s and lay before her God her faith and gratitude at having served for 70 years.

“After that, perhaps she would most like to be with her troops, the Armed Forces representatives who will be at The Queen’s Birthday Parade.

“As for the Derby, she generally watches racing on the telly anyway, so will still be with the horses in her mind.

“Lastly, on the Sunday, I expect there will be countless ways for her to feel she was there without being there.”

In the run-up to the beginning of the Jubilee, it was reported aides were working on arrangements to make the attendance of the Queen at events not only possible but also comfortable.

Among the changes reportedly considered, there was the possibility to see Her Majesty taking part in the Trooping the Colour parade aboard a car rather than a more traditional carriage.

Rhiannon Mills, Sky News royal correspondent, spoke about plans already in place to make the Queen’s attendance at the St Paul’s Cathedral service easier.

She told Express.co.uk: “We’ve already been told that at St Paul’s she won’t have to walk up that enormous flight of stairs to get into the Cathedral and instead, there’s going to be another entrance she’ll be able to use.

“It’s about making sure she’s as comfortable as possible, but I think she appreciates that ultimately she is the star of the show, and who we all want to see this weekend.

“But she is 96 years old, she’s not invincible. We’ll all be shattered, and if you’re 96 years old it could be a step too far to try and do it all.”

Concerns for the Queen’s health emerged last October, when she was forced to clear her schedule of all the in-person visits outside of her residences for the rest of 2021.

Earlier this month, while announcing Prince Charles would step in for Her Majesty at the State Opening of Parliament, Buckingham Palace confirmed she is experiencing “episodic mobility issues”.

Nevertheless, the monarch has shown she still wants to step out of her residence for public engagements.

Between May 13 and 15 she headed to two Royal Windsor Horse Show events, including the spectacular equestrian show held in her honour, A Gallop Through History.

On May 17, she was accompanied to London’s Paddington Station by Prince Edward to officially launch the new rail line named after her, the Elizabeth Line.

And last week she headed to the Chelsea Flower Show – touring it aboard a golf buggy.

The decision to use a golf cart to be able to see as much as possible of the event is one example of how the Queen and the Palace are adjusting events to her needs.

Ms Mills said: “We have been so fortunate that she has been so well for so much of her reign, and I think for all of us it’s been a bit of a shock to see her hold her hands up and say she can’t do certain things, because she’s done so much throughout her reign.

“Of course, what we’ve seen recently is how plans have been constantly adjusted and changed to make sure that if she’s feeling up to it she can go – for example, she had a golf buggy at Chelsea Flower Show, and at the Royal Windsor Horse Show there seemed to be a little lift put in so that she didn’t have to walk far.”

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