Queen too ill to go to annual WI meeting after coming down with cold

The Queen has had to pull out of an annual visit to her local Women’s Institute as she is ‘not feeling up to it’, a member of her security team has said.

The 93-year-old monarch has come down with a cold.

She joined the Sandringham branch of the WI in 1943 when she was still Princess Elizabeth, and usually attends each year as part of her winter stay in Norfolk.

However, around half-an-hour before her expected arrival today at West Newton Village Hall, a member of her security team told assembled reporters and photographers that she would not be attending.

This year’s guest speaker, BBC News At Ten Presenter Huw Edwards, had already arrived at the venue.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s meeting, Edwards said it was ‘daunting and exciting in equal measure’ to have been invited to talk at the event.

Before it emerged the Queen would not be attending, Edwards added: ‘I’m no stranger to public speaking but I think this is a slightly exceptional event so I’m being brave and been thinking carefully about what I might want to say.

‘I think a bit like the Prime Minister allegedly before Brexit, I’ve got several options, I’ve got several versions.

‘I’m not quite decided yet on what the ultimate message will be but I’d like to talk a little bit about the business I’m in and the way it’s changed over the years and what the challenges are now in terms of journalism and broadcasting.

‘Maybe that sounds a bit serious but I’ll try to do something along those lines.’