Queen Camilla is setting the record straight about her recent health struggles. Queen Camilla, who had been on reduced duties due to a chest infection, recently updated guests at Buckingham Palace about her health after reducing duties for the Qatar state visit.
It’s been a bumpy year for the royal family health-wise, which is probably why the Queen even felt the need to give the update and why people have followed her health as closely as they have. Just this year, King Charles was diagnosed with cancer and began receiving treatment as an outpatient. He briefly withdrew from public events after his diagnosis but returned to his public duties not long after.
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Not long after, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was also diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and began treatment. She also withdrew from public life, for a longer time than the King, choosing to focus on her family. In September, the Princess confirmed she’d completed chemotherapy and was now cancer-free. She has slowly returned to public duties.
All of this explains Queen Camilla giving more details about her health than we’re used to getting from the royal family. But what exactly happened to the Queen, who Buckingham Palace had previously announced had a chest infection?
What happened to Queen Camilla?
On December 3 the Queen told guests at Buckingham Palace that her recent chest infection was actually a form of pneumonia. She is said to be recovering well but is still experiencing normal post-viral fatigue, which is why her load has been lightened for the Qatari state visit.
The Queen didn’t attend the traditional kickoff at the Horse Guards Parade in London, likely because that would have required her to be out in the cold and travel back to the palace by carriage. Instead, she attended the luncheon welcoming the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, held later in the day. She also had a reduced role at the glam state banquet held later in the day.
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During the second day of the two-day stay, she was set to attend the dinner and participate in the farewells.
Queen Camilla might not have been there to welcome the Amir of the State of Qatar, but Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, and Prince William, the Prince of Wales were, a welcome sight considering Middleton had mostly been out of the spotlight in 2024 due to her battle with cancer. And though it feels like it’s been a while since the royal family has been out in full force, with someone always seemingly down with some sort of illness, it feels like 2024 will end with the family as close to full health as they’ve been in a while. It’s probably too early to tell what that means for 2025, but it feels like a pretty good omen all things considered.
