Royal aides told to reduce Queen Elizabeth’s duties

Warnings not to overstretch the Queen amid a review of the 95-year-old’s gruelling diary of duties following the cancellation of a trip to Northern Ireland.

Queen Elizabeth has cancelled a planned trip to Northern Ireland on medical grounds, Buckingham Palace said.

Royal aides are being urged to curtail the Queen’s gruelling diary of official duties following the cancellation of a trip to Northern Ireland yesterday because doctors advised her to rest.

The Queen, who is 95, has been busy in the six months since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. On Tuesday evening, she had hosted a reception for politicians and billionaires at Windsor Castle before setting off on a trip to Northern Ireland in the morning.

However, at 11am Wednesday local time Buckingham Palace announced that the two-day trip had been cancelled. The Queen, who is doubled jabbed, is now resting at Windsor Castle.

Aides hope she will be back in time for the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. She is due to attend on November 1.

Hugo Vickers, who was involved in planning the silver, golden and diamond jubilees, said royal aides must ensure they did not “overstretch” the Queen by accepting too many duties. “They are sometimes quite good at pacing things by changing things here and there, which makes things easier for her, but I am afraid I don’t think they are always as thoughtful as they should be,” he added.

A palace spokesman said: “The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days. Her Majesty is in good spirits and … sends her warmest good wishes to the people of Northern Ireland.”

A royal source said there had been “dissension” in the royal household about the number of duties the Queen was accepting while accommodating her wish to remain fully involved in public life.

Significant events in the royal diary include Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in London next month and the recording of the Queen’s Christmas Day broadcast to the nation.

The Times