While the Queen is receiving greetings from around the world on her jubilee, her performances at the "Trooping the Color" parade must have been more of a strain than her smile on the balcony suggested. That's why she doesn't attend a service on Friday.
Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the thanksgiving service in her honor tomorrow, Friday. The 96-year-old Queen felt "some discomfort" during the celebrations and will "with great reluctance" miss the ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace said. The ceremony planned for the evening in Windsor, at which the Queen should light a beacon, will continue to take place, it said.
The monarch appeared twice during the day on the balcony of her London city palace, Buckingham Palace. She was seen smiling and obviously in a good mood. However, the Queen has been suffering from mobility problems for months and has repeatedly canceled important events. With the traditional "Trooping the Color" parade, the royals started the multi-day celebrations for Elizabeth II's platinum throne jubilee. The Queen received messages from all over the world for the special occasion.
Former US President Barack Obama spoke up in a video broadcast by the British BBC, from which the “Daily Mail” shows an excerpt. On his first visit to Buckingham Palace, he and his wife Michelle would not have known what to expect. However, they shouldn't have worried, Obama explains. With "grace and generosity" the Queen took away their nervousness - and so much so that he thought that "she actually reminded me a bit of my grandmother". The world has changed a lot in seven decades, but the character of the queen has not. Her ministry and life is a gift to Britain and the world.
Current US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden sent a video message via Twitter. On behalf of all US citizens, they wished Queen Elizabeth II well "for 70 unprecedented years of service to Britain and the Commonwealth" and thanked the countries for their friendship.
French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, described the queen as the "golden thread that connects our two countries". The people of France are linked to Elizabeth II with "deep affection and admiration".
Former soccer player David Beckham shared several pictures of the Queen on Instagram - including one of her greeting him. "Today we celebrate our Queen's platinum anniversary," he writes. For the past 70 years she has served the country with "inspiring leadership".
Singer Geri Horner, better known as "Ginger Spice," posted an older photo of the Spice Girls with the Queen, and Paul McCartney also shared a picture of him with the Queen in 1996 on Twitter. He was happy about Elizabeth II's "70 beautiful years" on the throne and thanked her.
