New personal blow for the Queen as she pulls out of event close to her heart

Queen Elizabeth II watches the runners in the parade ring for the Epsom Derby at Epsom Racecourse on June 1, 2019 in Epsom, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Mark Cuthbert/UK Press)

The Queen is facing a fresh personal blow ahead of her Jubilee as she’s set to miss out on an event that’s very close to her heart.

The Queen is set to miss out on one of her favourite events scheduled for her Platinum Jubilee weekend, amid ‘episodic mobility’ struggles.

The Epsom Derby is an event very close to the Queen’s heart as it encompasses a number of her most loved hobbies, including horse riding and racing. The race would have been a highlight of the long bank holiday weekend’s festivities for the Queen but sadly she is expected to miss the event entirely. 

Queen Elizabeth II attends the third day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park on May 15, 2004 in Windsor, England.

This comes after Her Majesty attended the Chelsea Flower Show in a buggy for her comfort and ease of travel.

The Derby, which is scheduled for June 4th, is one of the Queen’s all-time favourite events, with reports that she was to receive a special guard of honour from 40 past and present Jockeys. 

Queen Elizabeth II leads in her first classic winner, Carrozza, after the filly's victory in the Oaks at Epsom.

Queen Elizabeth II leads in her first classic winner, Carrozza, after the filly's victory in the Oaks at Epsom

According to Hello! Princess Anne will now likely attend in her place and while this will be disappointing news for the Queen, Buckingham Palace is still yet to make a final verdict on her attendance. They are said to be waiting until closer to the date to decide if she is well enough to go.

The Queen At The Epsom Derby Races On 1st June 1988

The Queen At The Epsom Derby Races On 1st June 1988

Unfortunately, this is not the only event she has had to skip ahead of her Jubilee celebrations,  as it was announced that the Queen will miss ALL Buckingham Palace’s scheduled garden parties. It is also likely that she will now skip the special Jubilee Trooping of the Colurr, which will mark the first time she has missed the special honour in nearly 70 years.

There are still a number of events her Majesty will still have to look forward to, however, including a special Jubilee concert and a balcony appearance for the Jubilee carnival. 

She will also be meeting her granddaughter Lilibet for the first time, as Harry and Meghan have confirmed that they are returning to the UK for the historic event.

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Lifestyle team and has recently earned her Gold Standard Diploma in Journalism from the NCTJ. She has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but has taken a leap into the world of journalism after always having a passion for writing. She currently writes pieces on beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Goodto.com and My Imperfect Life.