Queen Camilla has missed a number of royal engagements over the last month after she succumbed to a chest infection, and now she has issued a major update about her health
A doctor has issued a warning after Queen Camilla gave a major update about her health.
The Queen, 77, previously missed a spate of royal engagements due to a chest infection. She has now told guests at the state visit of Qatar’s Emir and his wife that the illness was a form of pneumonia.
As a result, she will miss the outdoor elements of the Qatari visit following advice by doctors to take more time to recover. In a statement ahead of the event, the palace said she “continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms.”
Now, a doctor has issued some advice about how to spot pneumonia, and the ways in which it differs from other seasonal illnesses. Taking to TikTok, Dr Mike Muellner said: “A cold or an upper respiratory tract infection is an infection that’s confined to the upper airway. This is the nose, the sinuses, the oropharynx, the larynx.
“Contrast this with pneumonia, which implies inflammation of the lungs. Differentiating the two is important because pneumonia is often caused by bacteria and if so, requires antibiotics,” he said, adding that pneumonia can, however, be caused by viruses or fungal infections as well.
“Whereas a cold or upper respiratory tract infection is more often caused by viruses and doesn’t need antibiotics.”
It is understood Camilla’s condition was viral, not bacterial, and she no longer has pneumonia. The news comes after the Palace confirmed the Queen would miss the ceremonial welcome during the Qatari state visit.
Doctors have urged Camilla to take time to rest from the lingering effects of the illness, which she contracted a month ago following an official visit to Australia and Samoa. The news was shared by the royal editor of The Sunday Times, Roya Nikkah, on X (formerly Twitter).
Her announcement read: “Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest. With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week.”
As a result, Her Majesty missed out on numerous events at the start of November including Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 9 as well as the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph on November 10.
A spokesperson for the Palace said in the wake of the news: “Following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk, Her Majesty will not attend this weekend’s Remembrance events.
“While this is a source of great disappointment to The Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week.”
