Queen Camilla to miss Royal Variety Performance as Buckingham Palace issues health update

Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Camilla will miss this evening's Royal Variety Performance due to persistent symptoms following her chest infection. A spokesperson for the Palace explained: "Following a recent chest infection, The Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest.

"With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight's Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned."

The Queen had returned to Royal duties earlier this week, but it appears the demands of tonight's lengthy performance are too much in light of her recent health concerns. Doctors have recommended that Queen Camilla remain at home to ensure she does not overexert herself.

While she will stay in London tonight, it is reported that she will travel to Sandringham for the following week, sticking to prior arrangements. Throughout the past week, the Queen's health has been under vigilant medical supervision, taking each official commitment day by day amidst her recuperation from the severe chest infection.

Today, it is reported that Camilla is feeling slightly unwell. A Royal insider informed the Express that Camilla is "naturally disappointed to miss the evening's entertainments, and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that 'the show must go on'."

She is hopeful to return to her full public duties shortly, reports the Mirror. Yesterday, the Queen lauded "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" young essay winners at the Commonwealth essay competition by drawing parallels to the youthful scribe of Mary Poppins, a contest which she has patronised for ten years, with this year's subject being "our common wealth".

Four exemplary youths hailing from Malaysia, Singapore, and Uganda, between ages 13 and 16, were honoured with certificates from the Queen herself at Buckingham Palace last Thursday. Garnering a historic 34,939 submissions across 54 member countries of the Commonwealth, the event was a testament to its growing reach. Camilla remarked upon the authors' work, reflecting on an aphorism by the Mary Poppins author: "A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader."

Echoing Pamela Travers' sentiment on writing that ensnares readers into the narrative, Camilla commended that "This is definitely true of our wonderful finalists: thanks to your talents, your readers are taken on amazing journeys with you across the Commonwealth."

Camilla remarked: "Now, if Mary Poppins were here, I wonder if she would be telling me to hurry up with a brisk 'spit spot' so that we can get on to the prize-giving. I will therefore end by saying that there is just one word to describe you all – but I might need some help from Gyles to get it right. You are utterly supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."