It is incredibly rare for Queen Elizabeth II to miss the traditional Christmas morning church service near her estate in Norfolk, England.
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But a nasty cold did just that, raising concerns about the Queen’s health. The service is a cornerstone of the royal family’s Christmas celebration and although she was absent, a little cold isn’t enough to keep the 90-year-old monarch down for long: “The Queen continues to recover from a heavy cold and will stay indoors to assist with her recovery,” Buckingham Palace said. “Her Majesty will participate in the royal family Christmas celebrations during the day.”
These activities include a gala lunch. The Queen has remained in relatively good health at the start of her ninth decade in life, but has cut back on her travelling and overall work schedule. Her husband Prince Phillip, 95, has also reduced his workload and was suffering from a severe cold earlier this week.
Queen Elizabeth II also aired her annual Christmas Day broadcast, reflecting on 2016 and the country’s unsung heroes: “Even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help,” she said. “On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.”
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And while the Queen was resting, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition and spent Christmas with the Middleton family for the first time. The family attended a Christmas service near the Duchess’ hometown in Englefield, Berkshire. Kate wore a Hobbs fitted burgundy coat with a fur collar and the pair were also joined by Prince George and Princess Charlotte for the first time.
