HER WAY

Queen Elizabeth Pulls Out of Attending Highland Games for Her ‘Comfort’

What Buckingham Palace has described as the queen’s mobility problems also mean she will appoint Britain’s next PM at Balmoral on Tuesday, rather than the palace.

Queen Elizabeth’s health issues mean she has had to pull out of attending this weekend’s Braemar Gathering. A palace source told People the decision was taken for the monarch’s “comfort.” The Highland Games, featuring the caber toss, hammer throw, and tug-o-war, are a longtime fixture of the royal Scottish summer calendar—the queen is its patron. Prince Charles, who was due to attend anyway, will be present. What the palace has described as the queen’s mobility problems also mean she will appoint Britain’s next prime minister on Tuesday for the first time at Balmoral, her holiday retreat in the north of Scotland, rather than at Buckingham Palace. While the queen missed the State Opening of Parliament, the Platinum Jubilee Concert, and commemorative Derby, she delighted Jubilee crowds by appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony. The queen was last seen in public on July 21 at Aberdeen airport, en route to beginning her vacation at Balmoral.