Prince Charles is on standby to read Queen Elizabeth II's speech at the state opening of parliament on 10 May if poor health keeps the 95-year-old UK monarch from attending, The Times has cited unnamed royal sources as saying.
The sources claimed that Buckingham Palace and government officials are preparing contingency plans to accommodate the Queen's possible absence from the 10 May event.
"The date is in Her Majesty's diary, and she hopes to attend. The Queen remains fit and active, and it is amazing how much she still does", one of the insiders told The Times.
They added, however, that the monarch's diary is "being paced to reflect the realities of a woman of her age, and to ensure that she is able to continue to do as much as she can and would like to do".
The source also argued that "all events will now be scheduled so that if Her Majesty is unable to attend at short notice, another member of the Royal Family will still be present".
The remarks come after The Sun reported late last week that Buckingham Palace had launched a "military-style" planning operation to get the Queen to Prince Philip's memorial service as the monarch's health is apparently on the decline. The monarch's husband died on 9 April 2021, two months shy of his 100th birthday.
According to the insiders, senior royal staff have arranged to fly Her Majesty on a helicopter from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace. She then will be driven from the palace to Westminster Abbey, where the memorial service for the late Duke of Edinburgh will be held.
UK media outlets previously alleged that the Queen has been struggling with disability, needs a walking stick, and is unable to walk her favourite corgis. On the other hand, the Daily Mail recently reported that the monarch had rejected using a wheelchair, following reports that she is making a "good recovery" from the coronavirus, after having tested positive for COVID on 20 February.
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