Prince Charles attends church service in Balmoral without Queen amid health fears

The Queen missed a traditional church service in Balmoral fuelling concerns for the 96-year-old’s health.

Prince Charles attended a church service at Balmoral without the Queen amid ongoing fears for her health.

The 96-year-old monarch, who has been a regular attendee at Crathie Kirk, remained at the royal estate in the Scottish highlands on Sunday UK time.

She has not made a public appearance since arriving at her holiday house in July.

Queen Elizabeth has dropped numerous scheduled events over mobility and health concerns including the swearing-in of the new British PM.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed the monarch will not “kiss the hands” of the new leader at her London residence as has traditionally been the case in her 70-year rule with 14 of her previously appointed PMs.

The Queen has not made a public appearance since July. Picture: AFP

Her aides confirmed she will remain in Aberdeenshire until October where she is on her annual summer break.

A new photograph will be released shortly after the Queen appoints the new leader.

It comes as the Queen is awaiting more controversy from the arrival on Saturday of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle at Windsor, a royal insider has claimed.

One source told the Sunday Times: “She doesn’t want to be on tenterhooks all the time, waiting to see what the next nuclear bomb will be — that will take its toll.”

It comes after Markle dropped another bombshell interview last week in New York Magazine’s The Cut when she said she and Prince Harry upset the Palace “by just existing”.

Markle also made clear she had signed no confidentiality agreements with the royal family - meaning she can say what she wants about her time in the Firm.

The interview has caused commentators to assess that Prince Harry and Markle “lost their final chance” to visit the Queen on this trio due to the “embarrassing” claims in the interview.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived in the UK. Picture: AFP

According to The Sun, Charlotte Griffiths, editor in chief of the Mail on Sunday, told Palace Confidential: “I think they’ve got themselves into a position where it’s going too difficult to visit her.

“It’s too embarrassing for them. There will be a hostile reception.

“Everyone will be on their guarded duty.

“I think they’ve got themselves into a position where this could be their last chance, I hope it’s not, to visit the Queen in Balmoral and they might have lost it because of their own publicity.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the UK to take part in a series of charitable engagements.

The couple are touring the UK for their One Young World summit in Manchester before jetting off to Germany.

Many believed Prince Harry may take a moment out of his packed schedule to visit his grandmother, the Queen.

The prince is also working on a forthcoming memoir, which is predicted to be even more critical of the royal household.

It comes as the Daily Mail reported Prince Charles to be “completely bewildered” by the behaviour of Prince Harry and Markle and “wounded” by their attacks on the royal family.

Sources claim Prince Charles is “wounded” by his daughter-in-law’s behaviour. Picture: Getty Images

According to sources, Prince Charles, 73, “loves and misses” Prince Harry, Markle and his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, and “feels particularly hurt after spending time with them during the Platinum Jubilee in June.”

The Sussexes are set for a jam-packed five days of engagements from Monday when they’ll be staying at their home on the Queen’s Windsor estate.

The Sun earlier reported the couple will not meet Prince William and Kate despite staying just a 15-minute drive away.

And now it’s thought the pair will not see the Queen either, who is at her Scottish home in Balmoral.

According to one royal source, Prince Harry and Markle’s recent “truth bombs” don’t align with the Queen’s values.

Speaking to The Times they said: “It is hard to see how what they’re doing would equate to the values of the Queen, who has never encouraged people to discuss deeply personal family relationships in public.

And another top advisor told Marie Claire that “everyone is frightened to be around” Prince Harry and Markle.

They said: “Anything you say might end up on the cover of an American magazine.

“Any chance of a meeting with family members is now off the table.”