Queen ‘set to pull out of Commonwealth Games’ in latest absence

The Queen is set to miss the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer, it has been claimed.

Prince Charles is expected to stand in for his mother again at the sporting event – shortly after the monarch, 96, missed a host of events to mark her Platinum Jubilee last week.

Her absence is being blamed on her ‘increasing frailty’, according to senior figures linked to the Games, the Daily Mail reported.

The Queen has missed just a handful of Commonwealth Games events over the last 70 years, and is the patron of the Federation behind the competition.

She launched the Commonwealth baton relay in October at Buckingham Palace.

The Mail added that Charles, the Prince of Wales, would represent the Royals at next month’s opening ceremony, alongside various other members of the family.

The Prince of Wales is set to stand in for his mother at the opening ceremony on July 28, with an extensive turnout from other members of the Royal Family given that the competition is on home ground.

The event at Alexander Stadium is expected to be watched by some billion people worldwide, experts believe.

Among those expected to attend are Prince William, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and perhaps their children, as well as Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

The monarch’s absence is hardly unexpected, given that she has missed a series of significant events in recent months, including a number at the Jubilee last week.

Those have mainly been blamed on mobility problems by the palace, amid suggestions that she has been using a wheelchair.

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But though the monarch appeared with a walking stick on the Buckingham Palace balcony last week, she outwardly appeared to be in good health.

If she were to attend the event, she would have to come from Scotland, where she will be on a summer break, to Birmingham.

Her son Charles, 73, is also set to attend the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting in Rwanda this month in the Queen’s absence.

Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Metro.co.uk’s request for comment.

But sources told the Mail that the engagement remained in the Queen’s diary adding that: ‘Decisions on events are taken closer to the time.’

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