At 95 years old, it might not come as a surprise to hear that Queen Elizabeth is experiencing
a few ups and downs in terms of her health — but that doesn't make it any less alarming.
Here's what's so worrying about the queen's health.
If you follow the royal family, you probably already know this truth: Queen Elizabeth isn't
really known for taking days off.
Ever.
In fact, the queen has done more work for longer than any other monarch who has come
before her.
She once told her cousin that she had no plans to give up the throne unless she gets Alzheimer's
or has a stroke, either.
"I think she feels that the vows she made on her coronation were ones that she wants
to fulfil to the nth degree."
Once, the animal psychologist Dr. Roger Mugford was asked what kind of relationship Queen
Elizabeth has with her beloved dogs.
He replied that she approached her ownership over them in a similar way to how she approaches
her work — in the sense that she has "friendly, authoritative control over each and every
one."
No surprise, then, that the queen actually refused to give up any of her patronages and
responsibilities until as late as 2016.
In short, the woman simply does not want to be slowed down.
Despite the queen's strong work ethic, there were whispers that the royal family was worried
about her as early as January 2020.
As you might recall, that was the same month that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opted
to effectively resign as senior members of the royal family.
Furthermore, it appeared that they did so without explicit authorization from, or even
notice to, the queen.
At the time, a source told Us Weekly that Prince William was said to be quite angry
at the couple, especially as the queen was already worried about the health of her husband,
Prince Philip.
The source explained:
"He's worried about the queen's stress levels too.
She's 93 years old, Prince Philip's incredibly sick [...] and now this."
The source went on to add that William felt his brother's seemingly selfish behavior could
do real damage to their grandmother.
The queen was also said to be angry with both William and Harry for their public fallout,
but hoped both would put on a positive face for the rest of the family.
When Prince Philip died on April 9th, 2021, many were unsure of how losing her husband
would impact Queen Elizabeth's health.
In fact, some were so worried that whispers of abdication soon filled the air.
However, Queen Elizabeth made no indication that she was considering the idea.
Hugh Vickers, a royal historian, told Reuters that abdication in the wake of Philip's passing
was never on the table.
Vickers explained:
"I can assure you the queen will not abdicate.
There is every indication the queen is in extremely good health and with luck she will
continue to be our queen for as long as possible."
The publication also recalled the queen's own words on her birthday in 1947, words she'd
later repeat:
"It is a job for life."
Rumors that all might not be well for the queen began on October 12th, 2021, when she
stepped out using a cane in public for the second time.
While it's quite the feat that she made it all the way to 2021 before needing an assistive
device, her use of the cane worried many who are used to seeing the queen without.
Queen Elizabeth has only used a cane in public once before, back in 2003, when she was recovering
from knee surgery.
No one from Buckingham Palace offered an explanation for the queen's cane, so many royal followers
and fans were left wondering what exactly could be going on.
The queen certainly appeared to be in good spirits, and was photographed smiling broadly
throughout the day's responsibilities and events.
On October 20th, 2021, Queen Elizabeth made headlines when she cancelled a two-day trip
to Northern Ireland.
"So the question arising out of this is is it maybe time for the queen to slow down a
bit more permanently?"
She was reportedly advised to rest for a few days instead, something that officials at
Buckingham Palace said she wasn't exactly thrilled about.
In a statement, the palace explained:
"The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days.
Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern
Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow."
It's possible that the queen was still recovering from an event she had hosted only days before.
Tech leaders from all over the world had been in attendance at an investment summit sponsored
by the U.K. government and hosted at Windsor Castle.
Additionally, the queen had held three virtual meetings with leaders from New Zealand, Japan,
and the EU, and attended horse races over the weekend, too.
While Buckingham Palace issued a statement affirming that the queen's cancellation of
her Ireland trip was no big deal, they were later forced to discuss Queen Elizabeth's
health when The Sun revealed that the monarch had actually spent the night in a London hospital.
The palace eventually issued a statement confirming this news, stating:
"Following medical advice to rest for a few days, The Queen attended [the] hospital on
Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today."
Sky News subsequently revealed that the queen's hospital stay was not related to COVID-19.
Prior to this recent hospital visit, Queen Elizabeth had not stayed overnight at a hospital
since 2013, when she had come down with gastroenteritis.
While plenty of people were happy to see Queen Elizabeth back to taking meetings shortly
after her hospital stay, it seemed that this might have come at a cost.
On October 30th, 2021, numerous outlets revealed that she had been advised by doctors to take
a further two weeks off to rest.
Though she is meant to rest for these two weeks, a statement from Buckingham Palace
has noted that the queen "can continue to undertake light, desk-based duties during
this time."
Virtual meetings are also okay, but in-person meetings are supposed to be prohibited.
Notably, the statement says nothing about what kind of leisure activities the queen
can get up to.
And sure enough, on November 1st, 2021, Queen Elizabeth was spotted carrying out one of
her regular pastimes: driving herself around the grounds of Windsor Castle.
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