Queen Elizabeth won’t attend climate conference in person

Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the United Nations’s upcoming climate change conference in person, heeding a doctor’s advice to rest after spending a night in the hospital, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday.

“Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message,” the palace said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

The queen was scheduled to lead the royal delegation for the upcoming conference, dubbed COP26, which will begin in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday. There, countries will debate how they will reduce global warming to a target of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

Earlier this month, she told the Scottish Parliament that the “eyes of the world” would be on the Scotland as it hosts the climate summit.

“There is a key role for the Scottish Parliament, as with all parliaments, to help create a better, healthier future for us all, and to engage with the people they represent, especially our young people,” the queen added.  

The announcement comes after the 95-year-old monarch canceled a trip to Northern Ireland last week after receiving medical advice against traveling. 

The queen spent a night at the hospital for “preliminary investigations” and returned home on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said at the time. The issue was not related to COVID-19.

Last week, the queen was photographed walking with a stick while attending a charity event for the armed forces. She was last seen using a cane in 2003 following knee surgery.

Earlier on Tuesday, the queen virtually received the ambassadors from the Republic of Korea and Switzerland — her first such meeting since her hospital stay. 

Mr. Gunn Kim from the Republic of Korea and Mr. Markus Leitner from the Swiss Confederation each presented their ‘Credentials’ – a formal letter from their Head of State confirming that Her Majesty can trust them to speak on behalf of their country. pic.twitter.com/MhnbwNb4fD

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 26, 2021