Her Majesty the Queen has reportedly told her family she's feeling "far better" after resting for two weeks due to a health scare, which saw her stay overnight in hospital, and later pulling out of the Remembrance Sunday service due to a back sprain. The health scare came just a few days after she was spotted using a walking stick for the first time in nearly two decades, causing some royal experts to raise concerns about the Queen's wellbeing, particularly ahead of the busy Christmas period and her Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year.
The 95-year-old Monarch has a busy few weeks ahead, starting with next month's the festive period which will see her host other members of the Royal Family for Christmas celebrations at her home in Sandringham. Ahead of the holidays, the Mirror reports that Her Majesty has told her family she's doing much better.
"The Queen has told everyone she is feeling far better of late and is very much looking forward to welcoming them for Christmas," the source told the publication. "Like many other families, this will be the first time Her Majesty can gather with her extended family after being kept apart for so long due to the coronavirus pandemic."
Some of the Royals set to join the Queen for Christmas include Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate Middleton and the Cambridge children. Also expected to spend Christmas with Her Majesty are Prince Edward, his wife Sophie and their children, as well as Princess Anne and her children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
Princess Beatrice, her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi and their newborn daughter Sienna will also spend the holidays with Her Majesty alongside Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank and their son August.
Despite the rumours that they'd been expected to reunite with the Royal Family over Christmas, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be flying over from California. According to Page Six, the Sussexes turned down the Queen's invitation in the hopes of "avoiding a media frenzy." Instead, the pair will celebrate at home in Montecito with their two children, two-year-old Archie and five-month-old Lilibet. The last time the Sussexes celebrated Christmas at Sandringham was 2018, 13 months before they announced they were stepping down as Senior Royals.
Ahead of the festivities, the Queen is due to travel to Sandringham from Windsor on 17 December. Traditionally, she makes the journey from London to King's Lynn by train, however some royal sources told the Mirror they suspect this year she will take a 50-minute helicopter ride to the Sandringham Estate.
Jade Biggs (she/her) is Cosmopolitan UK's Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. She also works on first-person features and investigative long-reads, taking a deep-dive into mental health, celebrity culture and women's rights. Jade has been a journalist and content writer for ten years, and has interviewed leading researchers and doctors, high-profile influencers and fitness experts. She is a cat mum to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter.
