Queen Elizabeth misses second church service with heavy cold

Queen Elizabeth II will not attend a New Year’s Day church service because of a lingering “heavy cold” that also forced her to stay at home on Christmas Day, Buckingham Palace said Sunday.

The 90-year-old monarch, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England, will not join other members of the royal family as they attend church in Sandringham in Norfolk, eastern England.

“Her Majesty The Queen will not attend Sunday worship at Sandringham today,” the palace said in a media statement.

“The queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold.”

The royal family traditionally spends Christmas together at the queen’s private Sandringham estate and attends services at the local St Mary Magdalene church.

The monarch and her 95-year-old husband Prince Philip delayed their departure from London by a day as they were both suffering from heavy colds.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended the Christmas Day service without his wife and is also expected to attend on Sunday.