The Queen pulled out of Jubbly events because ‘she would not want to stumble’

My theory about Queen Elizabeth’s absence through much of her Jubbly celebrations is that she was always going to back out of almost everything. As soon as they got her out on the balcony for Trooping the Colour, her aides felt like they had accomplished the impossible and anything else would be “gravy.” Those were the same aides who refused to tell the Queen that she should make use of a wheelchair or walker, likely because of the Queen’s own ableism (and their own). So what we got was a Queen who refused to make any appearances simply because of her mobility issues. That’s the official story too.

“The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said on Thursday.

Her own high expectations for herself are a factor in keeping the Queen from taking part, says royal historian Robert Lacey in this week’s issue of PEOPLE: “She would not want to stumble — not for her own sake but for the distress it would cause other people.”

A source told PEOPLE that the Queen’s episodic mobility issues flared during the course of the day on Thursday. She was pictured using her cane on the palace balcony as she took the salute and viewed the flypast alongside members of the royal family.

Kate Middleton gave a health update on the Queen on Friday. During a reception held at Guildhall by the former Lord Mayor, the Duchess of Cambridge, 40, told an attendee that the Queen was “fine” after a long day of Trooping the Colour.

“Yes, she [the Queen] was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday,” Kate said, according to PA, adding that the monarch “had had a lovely, lovely time.”

[From People]

I read this transcribed discussion between Clive Irving and Tom Sykes on the Daily Beast, and they spoke about this too, how the Queen’s absence from almost all of the Jubbly celebrations meant that she was likely in physical agony, given the Brits’ penchant for understatement. I think it was less about the Queen not wanting people to “see her stumble” and more about her just general unwellness, her refusal to use a wheelchair and her refusal to do whatever her courtiers want her to do.

Incidentally, in that Daily Beast piece, Sykes and Irving theorized that now that the Jubbly is over, “abdication, or something very like it, can’t be too far off.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.

North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220602- Day One Of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service. -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth and Michael Duke of Kent -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -67243968 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing

NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK – London, UK -20220602-Royal Family On Balcony During Platinum Jubilee Trooping The Colour Parade -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William -PHOTO by: John Rainford/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -INSTAR_i9jXvKMe8.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded

Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the fly past after Trooping The Colour – The Queen’s Birthday Parade, London, UK – 02 Jun 2022,Image: 696416604, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Copyright Paul Grover, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the fly past after Trooping The Colour – The Queen’s Birthday Parade, London, UK – 02 Jun 2022,Image: 696416836, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Copyright Paul Grover, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the fly past after Trooping The Colour – The Queen’s Birthday Parade, London, UK – 02 Jun 2022,Image: 696417262, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II symbolically leads the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon at Windsor Castle, as part of a chain of more than 3,500 flaming tributes to her 70-year-reign, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Over 3,000 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries are lighting beacons to mark the Jubilee.,Image: 696553762, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II symbolically leads the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon at Windsor Castle, as part of a chain of more than 3,500 flaming tributes to her 70-year-reign, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Over 3,000 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries are lighting beacons to mark the Jubilee.,Image: 696553816, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II arrives to symbolically lead the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon at Windsor Castle, as part of a chain of more than 3,500 flaming tributes to her 70-year-reign, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Over 3,000 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries are lighting beacons to mark the Jubilee.,Image: 696553843, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Parsons / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William , Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge,, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at the end of the Pageant on the final day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London.,Image: 697182635, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / Avalon

Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, after the Platinum Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England.,Image: 697224208, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anthony Harvey / Avalon

Buckingham Palace, London, UK. 5 June 2022. Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at the end of a spectacular Platinum Jubilee Pageant on The Mall,Image: 697322082, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: MALCOLM PARK / Avalon

North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220602- Day One Of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service. -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -67243553 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing