Queen will not attend COP26 climate summit in Scotland next month

Queen Elizabeth II in the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh to mark the official start of the sixth session of Parliament. Picture date: Saturday October 2, 2021.
Jane Barlow
Charlie Bayliss

By Charlie Bayliss


Published: 26/10/2021

- 18:04

Updated: 26/10/2021

- 18:29

The Queen will not attend the COP26 climate change reception in Scotland next month, Buckingham Palace has confirmed

The Queen will not attend the COP26 climate change reception in Scotland on November 1, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “Following advice to rest, The Queen has been undertaking light duties at Windsor Castle.


“Her Majesty has regretfully decided that she will no longer travel to Glasgow to attend the evening reception of Cop26 on Monday, November 1.

“Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message.”

The Queen had been undertaking light duties today after being told to rest following an overnight stay in hospital on October 20 which forced her to cancel a trip to Northern Ireland.

The 95-year-old monarch had been resting this week but was seen carrying out a virtual audience from Windsor Castle.

The Queen was wearing a yellow dress and her three-strand pearl necklace and was seen smiling during the audiences on Tuesday.

She was pictured on a computer screen as she greeted the ambassador from the Republic of Korea, Gunn Kim, who was dressed in Korean clothing including a traditional hat known as a gat.

She had a busy schedule of engagements in the first weeks of October following her return from Balmoral, and her hospital stay was kept a secret and only confirmed by the Palace when it was revealed by The Sun newspaper.

The Queen was seen using a walking stick for the first time at a major engagement during a Westminster Abbey service on October 12.

On Thursday October 21, she was said to be in “good spirits” after her hospital stay and back at her desk, undertaking light duties.

But she missed a church service at Windsor on Sunday.

Royal sources had briefed the Sunday Times that the Queen was “knackered” due to a busy social life and preference for late night television, as having a hectic run of engagements in October.

The Queen’s husband of 73 years the Duke of Edinburgh died six months ago at the age of 99.

Buckingham Palace would not comment on whether the monarch has received her booster Covid-19 jab, but given her age it is likely she has already had it.

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