Queen Elizabeth did an in-person event on Wednesday, February 16th. It came one day after her favorite child, Prince Andrew, agreed to an eight-figure financial settlement with a woman he long claimed he had never even met, let alone raped. It was also her first “in person” event since February 5th, when she made some appearances at Sandringham ahead of her Accession Day. Some media outlets are making a big deal about how she “looked frail,” but honestly, she’s been losing weight at a somewhat steady clip for months now. What was more concerning was that the Queen told her guests that she was unable to move and she apparently seemed quite stiff.
Queen Elizabeth II looked frail and admitted to trouble moving Wednesday during her first in-person appearance since Prince Andrew settled a multimillion-dollar sexual assault lawsuit, according to reports. The 95-year-old monarch, who had a COVID-19 scare last week, met with incoming Defense Services Secretary Maj. Gen. Eldon Millar at Windsor Castle, walking with a cane and appearing stiff, according to the UK Independent.
“Well, as you see, I can’t move,” the Queen told Millar as she gestured towards her foot. The armed forces engagement had been on the books long before the Queen was monitored last week for possible infection with the virus after her eldest son, Prince Charles, came down with it. The palace said she was not showing symptoms, but did not say if she tested positive.
So… she can barely move, the castle helpers basically have to prop her up (literally), she’s using a cane, she had to give her son millions of dollars to pay off a victim of human trafficking and we’re all supposed to be ecstatic that after all of this, at least the old lady gets her big Jubbly party. Oh, and on top of all that, her heir was wandering around unmasked all of last week and he came down with Covid, and he might have given it to her. But she still wasn’t going to wear a mask at her big meeting. Her guests didn’t wear masks either, because I guess everyone is like “hey, let’s breathe on this frail 95-year-old woman in poor health in a pandemic.”
The New York Times has a piece about the Windsors’ many problems and the Times managed to not mention Harry and Meghan once. The piece is all about how Charles’s foundation is now being investigated and what a sh-tshow this whole Andrew debacle has turned out to be. The Times suggests that the Charles thing might be more damaging, long-term, because he’s the heir and the Queen is seemingly trying to “put the family’s affairs in order” before she kicks the royal bucket.
Meanwhile, the messaging coming out of all of the royal courts is still: thank God we’ve gotten Andrew’s mess out of the way so now we can focus on the Jubbly. It’s really disgusting when you think about it.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Queen Elizabeth II with Rear Admiral James Macleod (right) and Major General Eldon Millar as she meets the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries during an in-person audience at Windsor Castle. Rear Admiral Macleod relinquished his appointment as Defence Services Secretary as Major General Millar assumed the role.,Image: 662999385, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II with Rear Admiral James Macleod and Major General Eldon Millar (right) as she meets the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries during an in-person audience at Windsor Castle. Rear Admiral Macleod relinquished his appointment as Defence Services Secretary as Major General Millar assumed the role.,Image: 662999396, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II speaks during an audience at Windsor Castle when she met the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries.,Image: 662999422, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II speaks during an audience at Windsor Castle when she met the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries.,Image: 662999435, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II speaks during an audience at Windsor Castle when she met the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries.,Image: 662999449, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon
She’s 95 they need to let her go to Wood farm and enjoy her last months. It’s pathetic.
I believe it’s she that doesn’t want to retire..I’m sure Charles would have gladly had her step aside years ago.
Yes, poor forgotten Edward. So forgettable even his own mother puts her Pedophile Favourite over her youngest son. SMH What a sick so-called family.
To me, there is zero evidence that she is a good person. I think she’s hanging on so she can continue to control as much as possible and protect the scum that is her family. No one is forcing her. These people are all horrid and there should be no continuation of the mornarchy. It’s a huge embarassment to England.
That’s where I’m at. My sympathy for her died out a long time ago. She has the opportunity to be better than she is and make an impact. My grandfather fought the Japanese IN WW2 and was racist, but when I dated a Korean man he changed his views. Show me where Liz has come around? She has power to influence a country and chooses herself. To me she is a frail racist woman who was born into luxury and does ribbon cutting ceremonies. None of them earn their wealth or keep. I don’t wish her harm but that’s just because she’s a human. Her royalty however should be dismantled as it does not good.
Same, I want to feel sorry because she’s still an old lady but after all she’s done, especially recently.. nope, can’t find it in me.
I am with you. This is a “no honor among thieves” situation.
She is looking extraordinarily frail. They should let this woman rest, making her put on a show to distract because her heir and her favorite son are in deep sht is beyond cruel.
I agree. She looks so thin and tired.
I think she is the one keeping herself in the game. It’s her sense of duty and honor, hard-wired because of the abdication of Edward VIII all those years ago.
She could declare Charles regent and remain in Windsor with summer trips to Balmoral (if possible.) She could still see her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (if they are masked, and vaccinated). It would be an appropriate way to spend the time she has left.
Maybe the 70th jubilee will give her some sort of closure so that she will do the right thing for everyone, but I doubt it.
They need to let her retire at this point, in deed if not in name. I know she won’t abdicate but this is ridiculous at this point. She’s almost 96.
Is it they won’t let her retire or is it her ego that says she has to be Queen to the end?
My guess is that it’s a combination of the two. I feel like “they” have been pushing her into a soft retirement for the past 6 months or so (considering how little we see her) but feel like they have to show her “in public” once a month or so just to prove she’s still alive.
I think she’s probably fine with the significantly reduced schedule, they could probably reduce it all the way and she might not even notice?
Abdicating and retiring aren’t the same thing (I guess they are in practicality/reality but not in terms of legacy, you know?) Her stepping down at 96 for her 73 year old son isn’t the same as her uncle stepping down after less than a year on the throne. But I guess in her mind they are.
I was going to say the same thing as Becks, it’s mostly likely a combination of the two. She’s said in the past that she sees the ‘job’ of being Queen as a lifelong thing, so I doubt she’d ever step down. A soft retirement, however, makes a lot of sense…cut her events down to near zero, just keep the really big ones and that’s it.
Slight aside: I’m not at all surprised that she’s having trouble walking or moving around freely. She’s freaking 95, if she doesn’t have arthritis at the very least I’d be shocked.
The reason that the advisers are still putting the Queen out for publicity purposes is because they know she is still popular and without her the whole thing could come tumbling down. All these photo opportunities are acts of desperation to shore up the monarchy. The Queen will go along with it because her main goal in life has been to keep the succession going.
I think it’s the queen’s ego that won’t let her step aside, because you KNOW it isn’t Charles that’s stopping her. As they repeatedly said in Blazing Saddles (I think) “It’s good to be king!” And people need to stop portraying her as a victim here. No one is forcing her keep her current status, or this languid pace.
She’s like Queen Victoria, she hung on to the bitter end also because she DID NOT trust her son to do the job.
I suspect she continues at her own choice. Didn’t she say something like she would be queen until she dies at some point? Like, it was her god-granted duty?
I’ve said for awhile now that she was losing weight and looked generally unwell. I don’t know why she doesn’t just step down and let Charles take over at this point. I also think the monarchy won’t survive past either Charles, or for SURE William. I can’t believe monarchies still even exist at all. Seems like such a waste of $$.
I have also felt QEII won’t live past this year. I predict she may not even make it to her big Jubbly or will pass shortly after. We’ll see.
This is absolutely what should happen. But when I look at British politics and media I don’t feel that hopeful. Things will change over 50 years though, but for now, it seems to be getting more conservative/right wing, more pro-monarchical, more nostalgic for a bygone era of British greatness. The monarch is integral to that, so it feels like it’s going to be firmly stuck for the foreseeable future.
Her mother lived to 101. QE could live 5 more years, making Charles what, 78? Camilla 79. What if she outlived him? Scary thought, but possible.
IDK, it seems like the monarchist are as old as the queen. Pedo Andy, pay to play, and driving out Harry and Meghan probably doesn’t endear the monarchy to younger generations.
She doesn’t like Charles. Part of her must know that he’s just waiting for her to die. Normally, a person would just remove a relative like that from their will, but since her position doesn’t allow her to do that, she’ll hang on as long as she can.
That’s the impression I get too. She knows it’s done once she steps down.
Does the firm really not see how gross and offensive it is that the Queen – the old bag they all love – wants her pedo rapist son back in the firm while her grandson – who married a bi-ethnic woman and has bi-ethnic children with – is a hard pass that she has to continue to PUNISH??? Those were her petty actions. She stripped Harry when she did not need to. But a pedo rapist gets her money and her protection??? GROSS. I hope the commonwealth gets this message loud and clear. Brown will never be allowed on that balcony again.
Nope, they definitely do not see it. It’s sickening and I hope this “family” gets every ounce of karma coming to them. I hope that all 3 countries The Other Brother and KKKeen visit on their ‘operation get photographed with black people’ tour dump the queen as HoS as soon as the tour ends. And that the investigation into Chuck’s charity crimes lasts well into the jubbly and overshadows the whole thing.
Dump them during the tour and give PW the news in person. That would make the Jubbly memorable.
@Equality – oh, yes please!! That would really be A Jubbly to Remember. I would love for that to happen! I’m getting the giggles just imagining it 😏
Gosh, she does look frail and also a bit gaga. Bit cruel to keep wheeling her out like this, tbh.
She’s literally wasting away. I know some people think she’s being forced to do this, but she pledged to be Queen until her dying breath. I think she’s stubborn and refuses to let go.
She is a taurus, after all (disclosure: I am also a 4/21 baby).
Couldn’t they at least let her sit down? My god. But that dress is giving me royal kaftan vibes and I’m here for it.
The RF can focus on the jubbly all they want, it’s already been tainted. And they have no one to blame but themselves.
Basically Andrew settled the case so it wouldn’t disrupt the Jubbly. The Royal Family is really disgusting. As for the Queen, the press made a big fuss that she was using Philip’s old walking stick but if she can’t walk she should be using a walker or in a wheelchair. This is tantamount to elder abuse by the Palace.
She’s very old and old people have trouble moving around. All I can say is I’m an almost 63 year old with arthritis and a bad knee and there are days I’m so stiff you might have to prop me up but like Betty I’m still going to work. Perhaps she’s been told to lose weight because she has joint problems ( I’d be shocked if she didn’t after years and years of all the standing & walking she used to do) or the weight loss is due to grief which is very common. That said she is 95 and to me she looks pretty good despite her getting around issues.
Did the NYT get a clue that lumping in PH leaving with actual crimes the others commit isn’t going down well (and makes no sense)?
Right?? Whatever the reason I’m glad H&M weren’t mentioned in the NYT article. That’s the least they could do after Meghan spoke at their Dealbook Summit and wrote the Op Ed.
I’m dreading that jubbly now. Yes, it’s however many additional holiday but I refused to celebrate this woman who supports a sex offender/nonce. A neighbour of ours who is always looking to get funds for a party in the guise of “bringing community together” even though the people who attend are just her many children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews have told us that she is planning to apply to have a street blocked off for a jubbly party. I told her I’m not a fan of the monarchy and what it represents.
Yeah.all the streets here will be forced to hold street parties and they’re already starting on brainwashing little children. It’s ridiculous at this point, I don’t think people even care about the 4-day bank holiday anymore. People are just done
I really do hope the jubbly ends up like trump’s inauguration where like only 5 people attend. That would be perfect
I keep dreading the time when my son’s school starts to indoctrinate him and his classmates but so far, it has been quiet on the front, knock on wood it stays that way. He’s currently 5 years old and I just explain to him that those people are born into that institution but that doesn’t mean that they should automatically earn the people’s respect and that we don’t need to bow and scrape to them.
How do they actually go about indoctrinating the kids? Like, what age does it start, and how much reinforcement is there? As an elementary school teacher, I’m very curious about this. I mean, I’m not even comfortable with things like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in class, and I’ve always made clear to my students that they don’t have to stand for the national anthem and things like that (and most teachers of my generation and from my part of the country feel the same), so I personally can’t imagine telling kids that they owe their loyalty to someone just because s/he emerged from the right hoo-ha.
I’m really not sure, how they go about it or if some schools just skate that issue as I didn’t grow up here. I have made clear to my partner and his sister my views on the institution but she will still say things like, the queen owns everything and it’s wonderful to be a queen or king because it’s tradition and I will counter that and tell my son that there is no place for a monarchy in this day and age.
Their mum who used to be a teacher in reception/y1 used to teach to children when ascension day, jubbly or whatever was being celebrated. She was messaging me when betty became the oldest monarch or something as if that in and of itself was a thing to be proud of and that I should tell my son about it because his teacher might them in school and there was no word.
When he was in nursery, two years ago, they did make bunting and cards for betty’s birthday, not sure how it will be in year 1.
It feels like she’s just clinging to life because she knows very well that this is kinda it for the monarchy, in which case maybe her “I stand by my degenerate paedophile son and I don’t care how bad it looks” stance is just her “après moi, le déluge” moment.
Frail or not she chose to pay for the alleged rapist of a trafficked minor and she has chosen to turn a blind eye to cash for access/citizenship of others royals while at the same time she allowed the years long attacks on Meghan and the Sussex’s. She has allowed PH requests to have security for his family to visit to be denied (even though PH made clear he would absorb the cost) she allowed the a country to attack the sixth, seventh and eighth in line for the throne to protect number nine and make a mistress a QConsort. At anytime this Queen could have acted like a leader and with a few paragraphs stopped this mess. The jubbly celebrating her was what she chose to protect. I can’t even imagine how much PC will raise the price for his cash for access when he is actually king.
The Royals will only care about masks when one of them dies from covid.
She clearly enjoys meeting people for these official greetings. She probably wants to carry on with the things she can still do. The boxes of chocolates and candied fruits are a sign that she is eating very little. Encouraging her to nibble sweets between meals is a way of ensuring she gets enough calories. Apparently this is common practice in caring for the frail elderly.
It is significant that she can now barely walk and needs support to stand. She seems aware of her frailty. When she was asked “how are you” she said “I’m here” . She may be in her last weeks. Three weeks before he died Prince Philip walked out of hospital unaided.
She could be on her last legs or she could be using dark humor. I know several elders and they aren’t interested in playing nice anymore. If you ask how they’re doing, they’ll say “I’m still here, I’m still breathing, I woke up alive today.” Which is actually the important thing to them and also saves having to list all their aches and pains.
That’s it petty Betty, hang in there for another decade or so. Please, pretty please. I will enjoy seeing Baldy and Keen fumble and mumble around for ten years trying to find their purpose.
The fact that the institution is depending on a 95 year old who can barely move is just astonishing. It’s like the courtiers can’t trust any of the other senior members (well the ones that were out and about went and caught covid).
Surely now would be the time that “super duper extra keen with extra keen sprinkles on top” future future king and kween Keeny and weeny should be out in full force right? Isn’t that the whole point of the smear campaign to oust Harry and Meghan? So they could have the spotlight to themselves?
But then again, their kids are on half term break. I don’t know if it other royals (Spanish,danish etc) have done the same thing
There is no longer an indoor mask mandate in England so it isn’t surprising no one is wearing one in that sense. And the Royals have been averse to masks even when there was a mandate.
The Queen is 95 and physically frail but she is not some powerless pawn in all of this. She wants that party as much as the courtiers. She knows it’s likely her last big milestone and that it will be used to cement the narrative of her reign. She also knows the power of her image. They didn’t push her out there. She chose to be out there to try to change narrative.
She’s extremely old therefore is losing weight, is frail and has a lack of appetite with mobility issues. Having seen this with my own mom before she died at an advanced age, this is no surprise. The best thing they can do for her is to reduce her schedule but let her continue to meet people since the very old do enjoy that. If she makes it to the jubilee, you know she’ll revel in it. She’ll consider it her one final blast before she goes out.
Yes, if she’s anything like my nonagenarian relatives, she will have been looking forward to it and worrying about it and asking repetitive questions about it for at least a year in advance. She will be telling everyone about it until they are bored to tears well before it happens.
@Chaine
Yes, that reminds me of my grandmother. Going on and on and on about a big event, almost like a five year old. It pulls at the heartstrings and that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sussexes show up to the Jubilee, even if it hurts their image a little bit. QEII doesn’t deserve it to have them in the balcony with her tho, imo. Not to be cruel, but it won’t be until she’s no longer on this mortal plane that Harry and Meghan will finally be free.
Will the full costs of the jubbly be made public? Has very let them eat cake vibes. Who’s paying for all those new queen propaganda books being sent to all the schools?
The will let her rest when she literally drops dead. Apologies for directness but this is apalling for me. The woman barely stands and they are parading her around because she is the only royal that will give them PR points. This is cruel. Let the woman rest.
Yes, she looks terrible and frail and wants to sit down yada yada yada, but I have zero sympathy for this hag. Each and every day of the past 70 years she took the devil’s bargain, and chose the monarchy over humanity and family by her actions. Neglect the kids, check. Ditch her beloved husband’s last name and dismiss his wishes for living at CH after he had to abandon his career for her, check. Hide from problems until they fester and explode, check. Cheat the UK taxpayers with special legislation, check. I say let them trot her out for these charades until she is exhausted. Let her witness the monarchy dissolving in scandals. Let her be consumed by regret over her choices.
What’s with the Prince Philip apologia?
I still see in my head Prince Pedo pretending to snarl, “hold me back! Hold me back!” with his pretense to want to go to trial… the Jubilee is being used as an excuse for why he won’t seek “justice” for himself. To himself, he looks like a dutiful son sacrificing himself for Mum, whereas it’s the opposite. Her Maj is burning through public goodwill before her death to spare her sons. (Makes me wonder why she didn’t negotiate with Chaz to let Edward have the Duke of Edinburgh title when she let Cams get her promotion.)
When Philip died the title went to his eldest son, which is Charles. They wouldn’t be able to change that anyway. Charles can award him the title once he is monarch. It is possible that might still happen.
It’s incredible that she’s still working at this age and in this condition while the Keens do so little.
It is shameless how lazy this two are when a 95 year old is doing more with physical frailties. And they were part of why Philip delayed his own retirement. He would have done it sooner but William got the part time chopper job and so Philip stayed in until 95 when he finally had enough. And within months of his retirement kate was pregnant with Louis.
For all this talk about duty if you are 40 and still not pulling your weight compared to senior citizens and elderly grandparents you are just a lazy human being.
On the one hand, shame on them for being so lazy. On the other, the less they go out, the less damage they can do.
In Andrew’s case, I see the Queen choosing family over the institution. Surely she can see how her actions regarding Andrew looks? And I wish that they would alter her clothes or make her some new ones so that her dresses don’t hang on her like sacks, and make her look even more frail and failing.
Agree with you on that. Angela is not doing her job. It’s not like the queen is out here every day so there’s no excuse not the make or alter her clothes for the few appearances she does make.
Which one of her kids is checking in on her. Where is Edward, Sofie, Anne? What happened to the pledge after Phillip’s death that going forward a family member will be with her at engagements. That barely lasted a month and then they left her to her carers.
@Amy Bee The Royal Family is very ableist (just look up Prince Johnnie). When Princess Margaret had a stroke and then a fall and required a wheelchair, the Queen was upset that Margaret was photoed in it. I think the Queen would rather die than be seen in a wheelchair (I think the cane was a push to begin with)
Agreed. I remember the queen didn’t like Margaret seen in a wheelchair. Nice sister.
I bet they spend more money on her party celebration than she paid out to settle her son’s child rape victim. She’s essentially telling the world she’s worth more in a single day or week or however long her celebration lasts – than the entire life of a sexual assault survivor(s) and what they’re going to be dealing with for the remainder of their lives. Her life definitely matters more. The shameless, tone deaf, racist, elitist hag.
+100
There was already news about spending 12 mil on books for primary students to learn about the Queen. And news of the pushback of how the money could be better spent for education, food…
Just saw this. Apparently the list of flag days to have the flag fly over government buildings has been reduced to only the Queen and Prince Charles. Everyone else has been removed.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/designated-days-for-union-flag-flying
When my both my great grandmas got into their 90s, their physical and mental health rapidly declined. This sort of immense stress cannot be good for the queen. She needs to retire and live out her remaining days peacefully.
It is also so morbid to me that Charles is already planning his coronation and getting ‘queen camilla’ set up cause that literally means his mother has to die for all to happen. But I suppose they are not a normal family.
I don’t agree it’s morbid that Charles is planning his coronation. The royals all plan their funerals well in advance too. The coronation must be well planned however it’s completely tacky to share with the tabloids.
Charles has been issuing Coronation reports for many years. Like about 20 years ago he was saying he would be Defender of the Faiths. I don’t think it a great idea for him to talk about an event which would involve his mother having passed on (I don’t think she will step down).
I’m so appalled they still refuse to wear masks. I don’t care about regulations, if you have a coscience you’ll wear it during events with people – it’s called having basic manners a not be a selfish a-hole.
If the queen dies before the Special June Jubbly Stuff, will the Special June Jubbly Stuff still happen, or be cancelled?
Someone commented like a year ago that they knew someone doing planning for some aspect, and they were planning things that could pivot to remembrance type events if the guest of honor was dead.