Cheered by the crowd Thursday on the balcony of Buckingham, Queen Elizabeth II, in fragile health, will miss due to “a certain discomfort” the religious service celebrated Friday for her 70 years of reign, an unprecedented longevity for the British monarchy .
“The Queen very much enjoyed the parade for her birthday [jeudi] and the flypast, but she felt some discomfort,” Buckingham Palace said. “Taking into consideration the travel and activity required for the service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty has reluctantly concluded that she will not attend. »
This announcement rekindles concerns about the declining state of health of the very popular 96-year-old sovereign, who has difficulty walking and whose official appearances have become increasingly rare since a night in the hospital in October. Thursday, to the delight of the tens of thousands of spectators gathered for the kick-off of four days of festivities, she however appeared twice on the balcony of the palace, smiling and dressed in a dove-blue ensemble, leaning motionless on a cane.
Ascended to the throne at the age of 25 on February 6, 1952 on the death of her father George VI, she was first accompanied by the Duke of Kent, a cousin, for the passage of an annual military parade bringing together more than 1,200 soldiers and hundreds of musicians. She returned to the balcony soon after, for a fly-over, this time accompanied by 17 members of the royal family who have official duties and their children. The facial expressions of his great-grandson Louis, 4, the youngest of Prince William’s children, have also melted the public.
Deprived of a balcony, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan watched the parade discreetly, from another building, for their first public return to the United Kingdom since their sensational departure from California in 2020. Also missing was Prince Andrew, who paid millions of dollars to end a sexual assault complaint. He will also be absent from St. Paul’s Cathedral, as he tested positive for COVID-19.
For one last time?
For this holiday, a dense crowd, colored with flags and portraits of the queen, had massed along the Mall, the avenue leading to the palace. Some said they felt like they were living the last great appearance of the nonagenarian queen, loved for her sense of duty, her irreproachable neutrality and her tongue-in-cheek humor.
“It only happens once in a lifetime”, explains to AFP Mark Cornell, who came especially from the north of England, who nevertheless assures that he is not an unconditional admirer of the monarchy: “They must reinvent themselves to the new generations. »
Never has a British sovereign reigned as long as Elizabeth II. It is unlikely that another will soon reach such longevity: Charles, the crown prince, is 73 years old, and his son William, soon 40.
“I hope that the next few days will be an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved over the past 70 years, while looking to the future with confidence and enthusiasm,” the sovereign, head of the country, said in a written message. state of 15 kingdoms, from the United Kingdom to Canada to New Zealand.
Congratulations poured in from around the world, with French President Emmanuel Macron hailing his “dedication” to the Franco-British “unwavering friendship”. Even Irish Republican Party Sinn Fein has highlighted its role in the Northern Ireland peace process, a move long unimaginable from the former IRA political showcase.
In this atmosphere of end of reign, the monarchy is however confronted with increasing criticism, in particular in its former colonies, as for the past slavery of the British Empire. In the United Kingdom, the queen remains very much loved by her subjects, with 75% of favorable opinions according to the YouGov institute. His heir Charles is much less appreciated (50%). And only 39% of Britons think the institution will still exist in 100 years.