While suffering from a “heavy cold” over the holidays, the British monarch delayed her customary travel to Sandringham Palace with Prince Philip and later opted out of attending the annual Christmas Day and New Year’s Day church services.
“The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time.
It appears the royal has since recuperated because she arrived at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham for Sunday church service along with the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton.
The elegant 90-year-old stood out in the crowd, donning a vibrant blue coat and feathered hat accessorized with black gloves and a glittering brooch. After the service, Queen Elizabeth headed home in a Bentley with her husband as the surrounding crowd of churchgoers applauded.
Meanwhile, Prince William and Duchess Kate were also bundled up for the winter weather, the mother of two sporting a fur hat and hunter green coat while the prince wore a classic navy overcoat.
It was a family affair Sunday morning as Middleton’s mother Carole Middleton, father Michael Middleton and engaged sister Pippa Middleton also attended church.
The 33-year-old sibling was not without her fiancée, former racing driver James Matthews.
While Queen Elizabeth II has since resumed her royal duties, before the new year she announced plans to stand down from 25 of her patronages and hand the charitable responsibilities over to younger members of the royal family.
Nevertheless, she still remains a patron of roughly 600 organizations, though as royal expert Victoria Arbiter noted, these are signs of a royal transition in motion.
“We’re definitely seeing a transition in progress. The royal family doesn’t leave anything to chance,” Arbiter said in an interview on Today. “We’re seeing this really slow transition in place, but it doesn’t mean she’s any less committed to the role.”
Since she has been the reigning monarch for 65 years, it’s hard for the people of Britain to imagine a country without her.
“I think they all assume the Queen is just going to live forever,” Arbiter added. “She’s like the Energizer Bunny.”
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