Queen Camilla ill health puts role in Donald Trump visit in doubt

Queen Camilla has pulled out of a royal funeral for health reasons just a day before Donald Trump‘s official welcome to Britain.

The president is hours away from touching down on U.K. soil and the queen is due to join King Charles III at the official welcome ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, as well as a lunch at Windsor and State Banquet in the evening.

Yet she had to cancel her attendance at the funeral for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral, in London, on Tuesday afternoon.

Newsweek understands she does hope to attend all elements of Trump’s State Visit to Britain but has a packed schedule ahead of her if so.

It is the latest health blow for the royals after a relentless few years, with King Charles and Princess Kate both being diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “With great regret, Her Majesty The Queen has withdrawn from attendance at this afternoon’s Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent as she is recovering from acute sinusitis. Her thoughts and prayers will be with The Duke of Kent and all the family.”

Queen Camilla’s Donald Trump State Visit Schedule

Camilla is due out from the morning into the evening, with a number of engagements taking place outside on what is expected to be a rainy, windswept day.

Her role begins when Donald and Melania Trump arrive at Windsor Castle in the morning and are accompanied by Prince William and Princess Kate to meet the king and queen.

“Their Majesties The King and Queen will formally welcome The President and First Lady outside, as a Royal Salute is fired from the East Lawn of Windsor Castle and at the Tower of London,” a Buckingham Palace press release last week read.

“Thereafter, The President and First Lady will join The King and Queen, and The Prince and Princess of Wales, in a Carriage Procession through the Windsor estate, towards the Castle.”

There will then be a Guard of Honour in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle, where the king and queen will join the president and first lady on the Royal Dais.

Trump and Charles will inspect the Guard of Honour while Camilla and Melania remain on the Dais.

“This will be followed by a Rank and March past of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Household Cavalry and the Foot Guards Guard of Honour,” the press release read.

“Afterwards, at the conclusion of the military Rank and March past, The King and Queen will lead The President and First Lady into the Castle.”

After lunch, Camilla and the king are due to show the Trumps a special display of art from the Royal Collection relating to America before the queen has her first chance to rest while the visiting party pay their respects privately to Queen Elizabeth II at her tomb in St George’s Chapel.

It will not be long though before Camilla is back outside joining the president, first lady and king for a “Beating Retreat,” in which military drummers mark the end of the day, on the East Lawn of the castle. This will include a flypast by military jets from both countries if the weather holds.

If that is not all tiring enough, Camilla will need to have some energy left in the tank for the State Banquet in the evening at which Charles and Trump will both give speeches.

And that’s just Wednesday. On Thursday, Donald Trump leaves Windsor for Chequers while Melania stays behind for an engagement with Camilla, touring Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

And that is all after flying down from Scotland to Windsor where she was attempting to rest on Tuesday.

Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.