(London) Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of unity to the countries of the Commonwealth on Monday, despite her absence from a ceremony in honor of this organization which is dear to her, after months of fragile health.
Posted at 10:40 a.m.
This ceremony bringing together 1,500 guests at Westminster Abbey in London was to mark the first major outing for several months of the sovereign, who will be 96 years old in April and celebrated in February her 70 years of reign, unequaled in the United Kingdom.
She is represented there by Crown Prince Charles, 73.
“Our family of nations […] is a place to come together to pursue common goals and the common good,” Elizabeth II said in a message, also renewing her commitment to dedicate her life to the service of her subjects.
“During these challenging times, I hope you can draw strength and inspiration from what we share as we work together towards a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future for all. »
After a brief hospitalization in October, the queen had caught COVID-19 in February, showing mild symptoms.
Buckingham Palace had announced on Friday, without giving a reason, that she would not attend the ceremony of the Commonwealth, an association of 54 nations, especially former British colonies, which she leads.
He had assured that the queen would continue “engagements in person in the coming week”, but this cancellation had revived questions about the state of health of the sovereign as well as her participation, on March 29 at Westminster Abbey. , at a ceremony in memory of prince Philip, her husband who died in April 2021.
According to British media, this withdrawal was decided because of concerns about the duration of the ceremony, and the conditions of its displacement, while the queen now resides at Windsor Castle, about forty kilometers west of London.
She has been seen moving around with a cane in recent months and the palace had explained her absence from a ceremony in November by back pain.
Saturday, the tabloid The Sun claimed that she had not been able to walk her dogs for six months. According to the DailyMailshe ruled out using a wheelchair.
Charles, who will lead the Commonwealth when he becomes king, and his wife Camilla will represent the Queen in June at the organization’s summit scheduled for June in Kigali, after two postponements due to the pandemic.
The queen had already given up participating in the Commonwealth ceremony in 2013, recovering from gastroenteritis, as well as in 1993 because of the flu.