The Queen today returned to Windsor Castle by helicopter following a short break at Sandringham as she continues her rest ahead amid her determination to be fit for Remembrance Sunday this weekend.
The 95-year-old monarch was photographed taking off in a Sikorsky S76C, known as The Queen’s Helicopter Flight, at about 11.15am this morning – five days after arriving at her Norfolk country estate on Thursday last week.
Witnesses said the helicopter landed at Sandringham at around 10am, before the Queen was driven through the estate towards it. A Notam (notice to airmen) was put in place, meaning no one else was allowed to fly in the area.
Then, this afternoon, the helicopter worth around £5million was then seen landing at Windsor Castle and the Queen was driven through the grounds of her Berkshire residence in a Range Rover following her return.
It comes after the head of state was pictured being driven through Sandringham in a Range Rover A-Bio Sdv8 diesel vehicle over the past several days – including yesterday, last Saturday and last Friday.
She flew to the country estate by helicopter last Thursday from Windsor, where she has been resting following her overnight stay in hospital last month as she continues her recuperation.
The Queen visited Wood Farm at Sandringham, which she used to visit annually with Prince Philip around this time of year, while she has some time off after doctors advised her to cancel all official visits for a fortnight.
Buckingham Palace previously said it is the Queen’s ‘firm intention’ to attend the annual Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall this Sunday to honour Britain’s war dead, which is one of the most sacred events in her annual calendar. It would be her first in-person event since a reception on October 19.
A fortnight ago Her Majesty pulled out of a planned visit to the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow and instead recorded a video message from Windsor, which was played to world leaders on Monday of last week.
And her 105-mile flight back to Windsor today comes after insiders said the Queen was determined to host her family at Sandringham for Christmas this year after the pandemic forced them to scrap last year’s event.
Buckingham Palace has refused to comment officially on the Queen’s long weekend away, although a royal source confirmed to MailOnline today: ‘The Queen has returned to Windsor Castle from her private weekend away.’
The Queen is photographed leaving Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate this morning to return to Windsor by helicopter
The Queen is seen taking off in a Sikorsky S76C, known as The Queen’s Helicopter Flight, at about 11.15am this morning
The 95-year-old monarch is seen being driven through Sandringham today, five days after arriving there last Thursday
Witnesses say the helicopter landed at Sandringham today, before the Queen was driven through the estate towards it
The Queen takes off in a Sikorsky S76C helicopter this morning from Sandringham following her stay at the estate
The Sikorsky S76C helicopter is later seen arriving at Windsor Castle today following the journey from Sandringham
The Queen is later seen being driven through the grounds of Windsor Castle today after landing there in a helicopter
A Range Rover drives through the grounds of Windsor Castle today as the Queen returns to her Berkshire residence
And a royal source told Mirror Online today: ‘The Queen was delighted to have been able to make the trip to Sandringham, which she had been planning for some time.
‘Her doctors cleared her for the short helicopter flight, on the agreed understanding she would continue to rest.
‘Her Majesty is determined to make the Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph this week, a date that is cemented in her diary.
‘It will be a huge boost for both herself and the veterans for the Queen to make the event.’
The Queen and Prince Philip used to escape to Sandringham every year around the time of Halloween so they could enjoy some quality time together at Wood Farm on the estate.
And although her ‘dear late husband’ – as she referred to him this week – died in April, the Queen has decided to honour those cherished memories together by going back to the estate this week.
Wood Farm was where Philip, her husband of 73 years who passed away aged 99, largely spent the last few years of his life following his retirement.
A countryman at heart, he loved Sandringham and relished the relative simplicity of Wood Farm, where his only concession to modernisation had been to put in a new kitchen. If not for the pandemic, which saw him move to Windsor to be with the Queen, it is likely to have been where he would have spent his last days.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last year spent their Christmas alone at Windsor Castle – which made it the first time since 1987 that she did not spend the holiday with her family at Sandringham.
The monarch has vowed to attend the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph on November 14, even though she will miss the traditional Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall the previous day.
The head of state had been due to attend Cop26 where she had hoped to deliver an in-person speech and to host a reception, but was forced to drop out after royal doctors said that she should not travel for any duties.
The Royal Family were instead represented at the conference by Prince Charles, Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Last month, the Queen was secretly taken to the private King Edward VII Hospital in London. Royal aides have only said that the trip was for ‘preliminary investigations’ with the exact reason for the trip still unknown.
Speaking two weekends ago, the Prime Minister said that the Queen was in good spirits when they held their regular weekly audience.
Boris Johnson said: ‘She seems in very good form. She’s been told by her doctors that she’s got to rest and I think we’ve got to respect that and understand that. I think the whole country wishes her well.’
But despite reassurances from Buckingham Palace that she remains in good spirits, public concern is unlikely to be eased at what has been the lengthiest absence from ill health during her reign.
Doctors will reassess the monarch at the end of her recommended fortnight of rest, with it likely that her diary could be affected for some time to come.
The Queen’s eagerness to get out and about as soon as possible will ultimately be overshadowed by what her doctors think is best.
This will leave other senior royals, especially the Prince of Wales, having to attend more engagements on her behalf whenever possible.
Concerns about the Queen, who has recently been seen using a walking stick at events for the first time, were triggered last month when she cancelled a two-day tour to Northern Ireland.
MONDAY — The Queen is photographed enjoying an afternoon drive through her Sandringham estate yesterday
SATURDAY — The Queen is pictured three days ago enjoying a Saturday morning drive through her Sandringham estate
FRIDAY — The Queen is photographed being driven back to Wood Farm at Sandringham in Norfolk on Friday of last week
The decision came just hours before she was due to fly and despite aides saying she stayed at Windsor Castle she was later whisked to hospital for her first overnight stay for eight years.
On Monday of last week, the Queen was photographed driving close to Windsor Castle in Berkshire in a green estate car, wearing a signature headscarf and a pair of sunglasses.
During her message to world leaders at Cop26 on the same day, which was recorded the Friday before, the Queen issued a powerful plea to them over the climate crisis, saying they should put aside division and act now for the sake of ‘our children’.
In her first major intervention on the environment, the monarch said they should ‘rise above the politics’ and show ‘true statesmanship’ on the issue.
Speaking in a video message – played at a reception marking the first day of the climate summit – the Queen declared: ‘The time for words has now moved to the time for action.’
NOVEMBER 1 — The Queen is pictured driving close to Windsor Castle on Monday of last week after being instructed to rest
OCTOBER 29 — The Queen in a a Cop26 video message recorded on October 29 and played in Glasgow on November 1
The monarch spent a long weekend at her Norfolk estate of Sandringham (file picture) after flying there by helicopter
She included a poignant nod to her advancing years, saying many involved in the Glasgow summit – including herself – would not see the fruits of their actions, adding: ‘None of us will live for ever.’
But she stressed: ‘We are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children, and those who will follow in their footsteps.’
She struck a markedly positive note, saying that ‘working side by side’ the world’s leaders could solve ‘the most insurmountable problems’ and ‘triumph over the greatest of adversities’.
She spoke with unusual candour of her pride in her family and their stance on the environment – from ‘my dear late husband’, the Duke of Edinburgh, to her son the Prince of Wales and grandson the Duke of Cambridge.
The Queen has been staying at Windsor Castle (file picture) for rest following her recent overnight hospital stay
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last year spent their Christmas alone at Windsor Castle – the first time since 1987 that she did not spend the holiday with her family at Sandringham. The Queen and Philip are pictured at Sandringham in 2017
Insiders said the Queen was determined to host her family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk for Christmas this year
She recalled how in 1969 Prince Philip told an academic gathering: ‘If the world pollution situation is not critical at the moment, it is as certain as anything can be that the situation will become increasingly intolerable within a very short time… If we fail to cope with this challenge, all the other problems will pale into insignificance.’
The Queen said: ‘It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William. I could not be more proud of them.’
She added she had also ‘drawn great comfort and inspiration from the relentless enthusiasm of people of all ages – especially the young – in calling for everyone to play their part’.
But she emphasised the enormous task ahead, saying: ‘In the coming days, the world has the chance to join in the shared objective of creating a safer, stabler future for our people and for the planet on which we depend.’
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