Queen Elizabeth II holds first public engagement since hospital stay

The 95-year-old monarch's last public appearance was on Oct. 19, when she hosted a drinks reception at Windsor Castle.

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LONDON — Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, whose health has come under the spotlight after the 95-year-old missed a Remembrance Sunday service, was pictured standing and smiling on Wednesday at her first in person engagement since spending a night in hospital.

The monarch stayed in hospital for the first time in years last month for what the palace called “preliminary investigations” into an unspecified ailment, and doctors have advised her to cancel most engagements since then.

Full coverage: Latest news and updates on Queen Elizabeth II

She pulled out of the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph war memorial on Sunday with a sprained back which a Buckingham Palace source said was unrelated to the condition which has required rest and was an unfortunate coincidence.

Queen Elizabeth II receives General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the Defense Staff, at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Steve Parsons / Pool via AP

However, she was back at work on Wednesday at her Windsor Castle home where she was filmed chatting to Nick Carter, chief of the defense staff and Britain’s professional head of the armed forces.

He is due to step down from the role at the end of November.

The queen, the world’s oldest and longest-reigning monarch, has missed a number of high profile engagements since being advised to rest, including the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow earlier this month.

The last time she had appeared at a public event was on Oct. 19 when she hosted a drinks reception at Windsor for billionaire business leaders.