Sarah Ferguson Just Shared A Vague Update On The Queen's Health

While there have been rumors about Queen Elizabeth II's health reportedly declining, members of the royal family are spreading the word that everything is all good in Buckingham Palace. Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, did an interview with Paris Match that was published November 18, and she gave the verbal okay on the queen's health (via the Daily Mail). After all, when you're 95 and still running a country, people want to know how you're doing from time to time.

Let's put it this way: The average projected retirement age for Americans is 66, according to a Gallup poll. Queen Elizabeth is nearly 30 years over that, and she's still on the throne. 

But while people do have room for concern, the Queen of England seems to have plenty more years in her. Queen Elizabeth took over the throne at age 27, per Royal UK. That means that she's been serving her country as queen for 68 years. And according to the Duchess of York's latest update, she isn't going anywhere any time soon.

Sarah Ferguson's November interview with Paris Match was all about her upcoming book, "Her Heart for a Compass." But the publication couldn't resist asking the Duchess of York about her former mother-in-law, too. And the royal-turned-author gave a vague but positive update about Queen Elizabeth II's health. 

"She is doing well," Ferguson told the publication, via the Daily Mail. "She is my icon. When I see her, I pinch myself to remind myself how lucky I am. She is an extraordinary woman."

The update comes after Prince Charles, who is the next in line for the throne, gave a different update about his mother's health. Speaking to Sky News on November 17, Charles said, "Once you get to 95, it's not quite as easy as it used to be. It's bad enough at 73." Of course, it appears the prince was joking, referring to his own age as well as his mother's. But the Princes of Wales' comments still gave royal watchers pause.

In early November, there was word that Queen Elizabeth was advised to stop riding horses. According to People, the Queen of England enjoys breeding, riding, and racing her horse Fern, but she was told to stop riding in September.

"She was in quite a bit of discomfort. She adores riding, and it has been part of her ritual for most of her life," a source told The Sun in October. "She has been extremely disappointed not to go riding since the beginning of September." The Sun also reported in October that the queen wasn't able to take her beloved corgis out for walks, though it's unclear if that's still the case.

What might be even more devastating than the queen's break from horseback riding is the fact that she was also told to stop drinking her evening martinis, according to Vanity Fair. How you can tell the leader of a country to stop drinking is beyond us, but apparently, it happens.

Giving up martinis and horseback riding may be the most personal changes Queen Elizabeth II has had to make. But the public is a bit more concerned about her having to back out of some of her public appearances and narrow down what's on her calendar. The queen was originally set to appear at the COP26 conference in Scotland in November, but she pulled out of the appearance to focus on her health, instead delivering a climate speech via video. The queen also sprained her back in November, fueling further concerns about her health.

According to the Daily Mail, palace aides have been going through the queen's calendar for the upcoming year to ensure only the most important outings are scheduled. "The private secretaries have got to be proactive and ruthless and say, 'Ma'am, you can do this, but you can't do that. You can't do everything,'" Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary for the queen, told the Daily Mail.

Still, despite word from The Telegraph that the queen can no longer be in public alone, Prince Charles has reassured the public that his mother is doing just fine. Speaking to fans in London on November 11, Charles said, "She's alright, thank you," when asked about his mother's health, per Hello!. As of now, it looks all is as well as can be for a 95-year-old.