Queen Elizabeth ‘reluctantly’ accepts medical advice to rest, cancels Northern Ireland visit

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II has “reluctantly accepted aesculapian proposal to remainder for the adjacent fewer days” and has canceled this week’s two-day travel to Northern Ireland, Buckingham Palace said successful a connection shared Wednesday.

The monarch, who is 95, is reported to beryllium successful “good spirits” but “disappointed” that she volition nary longer beryllium capable to marque the travel and undertake her engagements there.

The palace said that the trip, which was slated to instrumentality spot Wednesday and Thursday, would hopefully beryllium rescheduled for the future.

The queen’s determination is not believed to beryllium related to the coronavirus — which continues to ravage the country, royal sources said.

Next twelvemonth volition spot the monarch observe 70 years connected the British throne during a drawstring of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The quality comes conscionable 1 time aft it was revealed that the monarch, who has 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren “politely” declined Britain’s “Oldie of the Year” award, saying she “didn’t judge she met the applicable criteria.”

The award, which has been presented by “The Oldie” mag for astir 3 decades, exists to “celebrate the achievements of those who person made a peculiar publication to nationalist beingness — portion maintaining undoubted drawback successful their celery,” according to its website.

Organizers of the prize said the thought of inviting the queen to person the grant came implicit luncheon 1 time erstwhile judges discussed the queen’s enactment amid the coronavirus pandemic and up of her Platinum Jubilee adjacent year.

But portion judges deemed Elizabeth a bully fit, their invitation was met by a polite rejection letter, penned successful August by the queen’s adjunct backstage secretary, Tom Laing-Baker and sent to president of the awards, Gyles Brandreth.

“Her Majesty believes you are arsenic aged arsenic you feel, arsenic specified The Queen does not judge she meets the applicable criteria to beryllium capable to accept, and hopes you volition find a much worthy recipient,” the papers read.

The magazine prides itself connected being a “timeless” and entertaining read, calling its pages a “lighthearted alternate to a property obsessed with younker and celebrity.”

Past winners of the accolade see the queen mother, British creator David Hockney, erstwhile premier curate John Major and the queen’s precocious husband, Prince Philip — who said helium appreciated the award.

“There is thing similar it for morale to beryllium reminded that the years are passing — ever much rapidly — and that bits are opening to driblet disconnected the past frame,” helium said astatine the time.

The mag did not look offended by the monarch’s decision, penning connected its website: “Long unrecorded The Queen!” and aboriginal tweeting “#youareasoldasyoufeel.”