Why We're Worried About Queen Camilla Amidst Latest Withdrawal
Upon returning from extensive travels to Australia and Samoa with her husband King Charles III, Queen Camilla fell ill with a chest cold. Buckingham Palace released a statement on Nov. 5, 2024, saying, "Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest. With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week" (per Royal Observer).
It was hoped by many that Queen Camilla would be recovered enough to attend and participate in the Remembrance events throughout that week and the weekend. However, her absence is another stark reminder of the pressures and responsibilities of the royal family.
The role of the Queen consort in Remembrance ceremonies is to aid the King in honoring the lives lost during international conflicts, especially World War I and World War II. The absence of Queen Camilla holds both symbolic weight and has sent shockwaves of concern across the United Kingdom and beyond. However, Camilla's prioritization of her health also denotes the shift the royal family is pursuing in balancing personal and public duties. As Queen Camilla "observed the event privately," it's a reminder of how difficult of a year it's been for King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the rest of their extended family.
It's been a hard year of health battles for Queen Camilla and the royal family
The health battles swirling around King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla have been a highlight in a long string of wellness issues battering the royal family. With both King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales announcing different cancer diagnoses within weeks of each other, it seems health and wellness are going to have to become a priority for the royals. This can be hard when so much of their jobs involves demanding schedules and public appearances — it's easy for rumors to swirl and misinformation to get out of hand. As is what happened with conspiracy theories hovering around Princess Kate earlier in the year.
Camilla's absence and subsequent health issues not only bring to light the demanding schedule of a royal, but they are another pain point in a difficult year for Prince William. "It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult," he told the BBC. However, the light on the horizon is that both William's father King Charles and William's wife Kate Middleton are returning to public duties. We hope this is a sign that both are on the mend.
Kate Middleton was able to attend remembrance events
After successfully wrapping up chemotherapy treatments, Catherine, Princess of Wales is slowly folding herself back into her royal duties. Her first appearance from her time away was at a church service near the family's royal Balmoral estate in Scotland, where it's been rumored Princess Kate has been spending much of her time. Whereas Queen Camilla was not able to attend any Remembrance events, Princess Kate was at both the Festival of Remembrance and the Sunday service at the Cenotaph monument, where she was able to pay respects to veterans and their families.
With the hope of recovery for Princess Kate, it is still concerning that Queen Camilla is struggling to be well. The relationship between Kate and Camilla has been messy in the past, but nothing brings a family together like the need to care for one another. With King Charles still undergoing cancer treatments, it's a hard time to have both the king and queen unwell. Hopefully, the prioritization of rest and personal health will help Queen Camilla make a full recovery.