Queen '˜better' as she misses Year'˜s Day service

The Queen was forced to abandon plans to join her family for the New Year’s Day service at St Mary Magdalene church as she continues to recuperate from a lingering cold.

Asked how her mother was as she walked from Sandringham House to the church, Princess Anne told onlookers “better”, it was reported.

Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, who accompanied her, added that the Queen was feeling “not too bad”.

The Duke of Edinburgh, recovered from his own cold, was well enough to brave a chilly and damp day to attend the ceremony, led by the Bishop of Norwich.

He was driven to the service in a Range Rover with the Countess of Wessex and wore gloves and a grey coat as other members of the royal family walked to the church from Sandringham in drizzly conditions.

The service, also attended by Prince Edward and his family, lasted just under an hour.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were not present after they, Prince George and Princess Charlotte spent Christmas with Kate’s family at Bucklebury in Berkshire.

The Queen came down with a cold a few days before Christmas, forcing her to delay her trip to the Norfolk estate and to miss a Christmas Day ceremony, though she is understood now to be up and about.

A Palace spokeswoman said earlier: “Her Majesty The Queen will not attend Sunday worship at Sandringham today. The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were absent as they spent Christmas with Kate’s family at Bucklebury in Berkshire. William and Kate - along with Prince George and Princess Charlotte - attended a Christmas Day service at St Mark’s Church in Englefield, Bucks.