Queen Elizabeth withdraws from St Paul’s Cathedral service

The Queen has pulled out of a high profile service after experiencing ‘some discomfort’ at Thursday’s events.

The Queen watches the 71 plane fly-past withPrince Charles and Camilla. Picture: AFP.

Four-year-old Prince Louis almost stole the show at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee balcony appearance, when he engaged his 96-year-old great-grandmother in animated conversation about the historic 71 plane fly-past that roared down The Mall.

But behind the scenes there is fresh concern over the celebrations, with the Queen withdrawing from Friday’s high profile service at St Paul’s Cathedral after experiencing “some discomfort” during Thursday’s events.

Prince Andrew has also suddenly withdrawn from the church service after testing positive for Covid-19.

Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Prince George watch a special fly-past from the Buckingham Palace balcony. Picture: AFP.

Buckingham Palace announced her withdrawal, saying: “The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Fly-past but did experience some discomfort.

“Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.”

The palace added that the Queen would still participate in Thursday night’s Beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle and that she would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.

Andrew tested positive for Covid on Thursday, sparking concerns that other members of the royal family who have been in contact with him may also test positive and miss the rest of the extended weekend festivities. Andrew was last seen riding a horse in Windsor Great Park on Wednesday. He was absent from Trooping the Colour festivities and the family appearance on the balcony as the Queen wanted the focus to be squarely on the line of succession and “working royals”. The St Paul’s service was to be his only appearance.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has already withdrawn from delivering a sermon at St Pauls because of Covid. The archbishop had controversially called for the community to be more open and forgiving in general as he suggested Andrew was “seeking to make amends’’.

Andrew, 62, retired from public life last year after being friends with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and settling a civil case out of court with accuser, Australian woman Virginia Giuffre.

The 124 Gun Salute at Tower of London takes place as part of the Queen's Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour. Picture: AFP.

The Queen had limited the balcony attendees to “working’’ royals and their children to focus attention on the line of succession.

That meant outcasts like Prince Harry and his wife Meghan who live in California after leaving royal duties, were watching the spectacular with their children from a nearby rooftop at St James Palace with other minor royals.

Prince Andrew’s daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were also absent from the balcony.

Louis, the youngest child of Prince William and Kate was standing next to the Queen on the balcony and he turned to his “Gan-Gan” as he calls Her Majesty, several times, once checking she could also see the planes, which included a WWII Lancaster bomber with Spitfires and Hurricanes, and then asking her if there was more to come.

When some typhoons formed the numbers 70 in the sky, Louis began to count on his fingers and the Queen leaned down to him and said: “That’s very clever, that must have taken a lot of practice.”

The Queen, wearing a lilac coat and hat, was clearly delighted at the display, pointing at the typhoons.

Then when the Red Arrows arrived with their red, white and blue tailing smoke, Louis could barely contain his excitement jumping up and down and turning to his older sister Princess Charlotte, his mother and his older brother, Prince George. All of the children held their hands over their ears at various times as the jets flew low directly over Buckingham Palace and the tens of thousands of people who crammed The Mall.