Queen Elizabeth has cancelled an engagement due to illness.
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The monarch had been set to visit the British Museum today (13.10.11) to tour the Australia Landscape exhibition, but she has withdrawn due to suffering from a cold.
A spokesman from Buckingham Palace said: “Her Majesty has a long trip next week and then a busy overseas programme in Australia and will need to be fit for this.”
Part of the visit was intended to be outside and as a precaution the decision was taken to cancel the royal’s participation, but the palace confirmed the queen will still host a reception this evening for 350 Australians who are living and working in the UK.
The engagement was in preparation for the queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s arrival in Australia on Wednesday (19.10.11) for an 11-day tour ahead of a meeting with Commonwealth leaders.
It is the second time this year an event has been cancelled due to the queen’s illness. In April she missed a public engagement for the first time in five years because of a nose bleed.
But the queen was in good spirits when she hosted an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday (12.10.11) which included a knighthood for entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The queen asked him: “You’ve been entertaining us a long time, how long have you been in show-business?” And the 83-year-old comedian replied: “70 years”.
