Queen unlikely to be seen in public for rest of the year

THE Queen’s diary of public engagements has been largely scrubbed clear for the year as she rests at Windsor Castle.

- Richard Palmer

But she is expected to return to light duties later this week, including virtual audiences with diplomats, after missing the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London because of a sprained back.

Apart from her daily routine of going through official state papers, she had no other formal duties yesterday.

The 95-year-old monarch has no further outside engagements in the next few weeks, meaning it may be January or February before she is seen in public.

Normally she goes to Sandringham at Christmas and resumes public engagements in mid-February. However, she could remain at Windsor.