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Queen Elizabeth Back on Royal Duty After Hospital Stay Last Week

Simon Perry
·2 min read
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II

VICTORIA JONES/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth is back on duty!

The Queen, 95, who spent a night undergoing unspecified tests in the hospital last week, wore a cheery yellow dress as she took part in two virtual audiences from her home at Windsor Castle on Tuesday morning.

As has become the norm since the pandemic began, she communicated with diplomats at Buckingham Palace via video chat to conduct the ceremony.

Last Wednesday, the Queen "reluctantly" accepted advice from her doctors to cancel a two-day visit to Northern Ireland to mark its 100th anniversary, to stay at home to rest at Windsor Castle instead. On Thursday, the palace announced that the monarch spent Wednesday night at King Edward VII's Hospital in London for "preliminary investigations," without elaborating further.

The statement said that the Queen remained in "good spirits" after the stay, and was back at her desk on Thursday afternoon, undertaking light duties.

Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle
Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle

Alamy Stock Photo Queen Elizabeth appears via video link

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Her return to work, albeit via video screen, is a good sign that she will be okay for her next in-person, public duty on November 1, when she is expected to travel to Glasgow for the opening of the COP26 climate conference next week.

In a brief statement, Buckingham Palace announced that Elizabeth hosted two audiences on Tuesday.

"His Excellency Mr. Gunn Kim was received in audience by The Queen today via video link and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Republic of Korea to the Court of St. James's," the statement explained. Mrs. Hee Jung Lee was also received by Her Majesty.

Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle
Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle

Alamy Stock Photo Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle

The release continued, "His Excellency Mr. Markus Leitner was received in audience by The Queen and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Swiss Confederation to the Court of St. James's. Mrs. Leitner was also received by Her Majesty."

Up to last week, the Queen was busy with a series of engagements that had seen her host business leaders like Bill Gates and U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry who had gathered for the Global Investment Summit.

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Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L), Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (2L) and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (4L) greets guests including US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (C) and Microsoft founder-turned-philanthropist Bill Gates (R) during a reception to mark the Global Investment Summit, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London on October 19, 2021.

ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Queen Elizabeth at the reception on Tuesday evening

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She also opened the Scottish had opened the Welsh Parliament, or Senedd, last Thursday, in addition to carrying out a series of video calls and virtual audiences.

She also took part in public engagements from a service for the British Legion at Westminster Abbey and, with son Prince Edward, kicked off the baton relay that begun the countdown to the Commonwealth Games next summer.