Queen Camilla pulled out of the Qatari welcome ceremony, but will attend the dinner

I’m starting to get a really weird feeling about Queen Camilla’s “lingering chest infection.” About a week after Camilla and King Charles’s return from their whirlwind Australia-Samoa-India tour, Camilla came down with a heavy cold or “chest infection.” She canceled a lot of events, including her Remembrance appearances. Then she appeared fine at diplomatic reception (she wore oodles of diamonds), plus she did some appearances at palace events that week. Then, she was suddenly sick again, with the same chest infection. She pulled out of attending the Royal Variety with Charles, and she pulled out of other events last week. Her big return was supposed to be today, at the welcome ceremony for the Qatari state visit. Only she pulled out of it, although it sounds like she is NOT pulling out of the state dinner (oodles of diamonds, darling).

The Queen is to pull out of the ceremonial welcome during the Qatari state visit because of the lingering side effects of a chest infection, Buckingham Palace said. However, Her Majesty will attend other elements of the day, including the lunch at the Palace.

It is understood the programme has been tweaked because the Queen, who contracted a chest infection after her long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa, has been left with significantly diminished reserves of energy. Doctors have advised Her Majesty to take the time to rest and fully recover.

The Queen will miss the outdoor event on Horse Guards Parade where the King, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, will join the Emir of Qatar and his wife on Tuesday. She will not be present for the carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace either.

But Her Majesty will be present at the Palace lunch on the royal party’s return and is hoping to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery. The Queen will join the King and their guests for photographs at the start of the banquet in the evening and will attend the banquet itself. But she will take a short break before dinner while guests are being met in a receiving line.

[From The Telegraph]

My most generous read of this is that Camilla doesn’t want to be outside in the cold when she’s still slowly recovering from a bad cold (or whatever it was). My gossip read: the “welcome ceremony” is supposed to be all about the Princess of Wales making a big return to work, so Camilla is letting Kate have those headlines. Especially since Camilla has ensured that Kate isn’t coming to the state dinner. My nasty read: Camilla has always been known as a pretty lazy person, and I think she’s trying to be more choosy about where and when she’s seen too, just like Kate. It could be that all of these explanations are partly or mostly true.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.