Queen misses abbey service as she continues recovery

The monarch had been due to attend the Commonwealth Day Observance at London’s Westminster Abbey which saw High Commissioners from across the globe in the congregation and a keynote address from Sir Richard Branson.

The Duke of Edinburgh was the only senior royal representative to attend, but the Queen was at an evening reception to sign the new Commonwealth charter. She spent 24 hours in hospital last week for treatment for the illness which leads to vomiting and diarrhoea.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “This time last week she was in hospital but she’s in great spirits and apart from this is in good health and will be going to the reception in the evening. It’s just the tail end of the symptoms, her condition has not worsened at all.”

Buckingham Palace had said on Friday she would attend yesterday’s service and it was “business as usual”. The Queen, 86, was struck down by the stomach bug and spent a night at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London before being discharged on Monday last week.

Concerns were raised about her well-being as it was the first time she had been admitted to hospital in almost 10 years. She left the hospital looking well and cheerful but engagements for last week were cancelled, including a brief visit to Rome.