Queen skips Epsom Derby on Jubilee weekend ahead of Lilibets first birthday

The Queen is skipping the Epsom Derby this Jubilee weekend as she gears up to celebrate her great-granddaughter Lilibet's first birthday on Saturday, 4 June.

Buckingham Palace have announced that due to the 96 year old monarch's ongoing health struggles, her absence from the Derby is confirmed.

Her Majesty pulled out of the Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Cathedral today (Friday) after realising she overdid it at Trooping the Colour on Thursday.

While the Queen very much enjoyed the parade and the subsequent celebrations as well as her official birthday flypast, she admitted to feeling some "discomfort" after the walking and standing on the balcony took it out of her.


The Derby is the second Platinum Jubilee event she has cancelled during this weekend.

Speaking at today's Thanksgiving service, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is also said to have told an attendee that the Queen was "tired" following yesterday's celebrations.

Gill Smallwood from Bolton spoke with Kate on Friday after a service of thanksgiving at the nearby St Paul’s Cathedral.

Ms Smallwood said she had asked Kate how the Queen was doing.

She told the PA news agency: "[Kate] said, ‘yes, she was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday, and [the Queen] had had a lovely, lovely time’.”

She said Kate told her that Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte also “had a lovely time” at Thursday’s celebrations, during which all three Cambridge children appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for a flypast.

Her mobility continues to be an issue and the Queen is now permanently assisted with the help of her walking stick.

While Royal fans will be disappointed to hear that the monarch, who is celebrating 70 years on the throne, is pulling out of yet another event, yesterday saw the Queen looking happy and joyful as she posed on the balcony in a stunning light blue ensemble and matching hat.

A six-minute flypast featuring more than 70 different aircraft then filled the London skies and the senior members of her family arrived on the balcony to join her for the iconic tradition.

This year, the monarch made a decision to only allow senior working members of the Royal Family to join her.

But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla were all there supporting the Queen.

Will and Kate's children Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, four, were also on the balcony.


Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, their children Archie and Lilibet, and Prince Andrew were advised not to appear for the event.

Yet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared at the Thanksgiving Service today as they reunited with the rest of the Royals.

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