Queen, 93, pulls out of her annual visit to Sandringham branch of Women’s Institute with just 30 minutes’ notice because she ‘has a cold’
- Her Majesty was unable to attend the meeting, which she goes to every year
- Monarch, 93, joins the WI ladies for tea and cake at West Newton village hall
- The Queen has attended the Women’s Institute group’s meetings since 1943
The Queen has pulled out of her annual visit to the branch of the Women’s Institute in Norfolk today because she ‘has a cold.’
Her Majesty was unable to attend the meeting, which she goes to every year at West Newton village hall as part of her winter stay at Sandringham.
The 93-year-old monarch joins the WI ladies for tea and cake, then listens to a speech, which was made this year by BBC newsreader Huw Edwards.
The Queen, pictured left on January 19, has pulled out of her annual visit to the Sandringham branch of the Women’s Institute in Norfolk today. The speech was made this year by BBC newsreader Huw Edwards, right at the branch today
The Queen at the Sandringham Women’s Institute (WI) meeting at West Newton Village Hall last year
The Queen has attended the WI group’s meetings since 1943 and took over as President from the Queen Mother, who in turn took over from Queen Mary.
Around half-an-hour before her expected arrival at the village hall today, a member of her security team told assembled reporters and photographers that she would not be coming this year.
This year’s guest speaker, BBC News At Ten Presenter Huw Edwards, had already arrived at the venue.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s meeting, Edwards said it was ‘daunting and exciting in equal measure’ to have been invited to talk at the event.
Before it emerged the Queen would not be attending, Edwards added: ‘I’m no stranger to public speaking but I think this is a slightly exceptional event so I’m being brave and been thinking carefully about what I might want to say.
‘I think a bit like the Prime Minister allegedly before Brexit, I’ve got several options, I’ve got several versions.
‘I’m not quite decided yet on what the ultimate message will be but I’d like to talk a little bit about the business I’m in and the way it’s changed over the years and what the challenges are now in terms of journalism and broadcasting.
‘Maybe that sounds a bit serious but I’ll try to do something along those lines.’
Last year, Her Majesty joined members of the WI in a live version of TV quiz show Pointless hosted by Alexander Armstrong.
She is said to be an avid viewer of the teatime favourite, and her team was crowned winner of the contest at the Sandringham WI.
In 1965, to celebrate the WI Golden Jubilee, there was a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace by gracious invitation of the Queen for a member from every WI in the country.
The Queen has been in generally good health and rarely misses an engagement. In recent years, she has passed some of her royal patronages on to younger members of the royal family as she eases her workload.
In December 2016, the Queen’s heavy cold saw her miss the traditional Christmas Day church service for the first time in almost 30 years.