Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday that Queen Camilla has canceled her attendance at a scheduled public event, citing a diagnosis of acute sinusitis. The announcement comes as the Queen, 78, was set to appear alongside other senior members of the Royal Family.
A statement released by the Palace confirmed the Queen’s condition, noting that her absence was made “with great regret.” The news has raised questions about her upcoming schedule, particularly her involvement in a high-profile state visit.
Acute sinusitis is a common inflammation of the sinuses, often caused by an infection. Symptoms can include facial pain, a stuffy or runny nose, and fever, and can last for several weeks.
This is not the first time the Queen’s health has been a public matter. In recent years, she has also recovered from a chest infection and a bout of COVID-19. Her latest health concern highlights the physical demands placed on senior royals, especially as both Queen Camilla and King Charles III have faced recent health issues.
While the Palace has not released a detailed prognosis, royal observers are closely monitoring the situation as the monarchy navigates a period of significant health challenges among its key members.
Queen Camilla reports illness hours before Trump’s U.K. visit
Queen Camilla’s planned visit with President Trump and the first lady could be hampered by illness, which she reported just hours before the Americans touched down in England.
The queen, who was scheduled to appear on Tuesday at the funeral for the Duchess of Kent, withdrew at the last minute due to “acute sinusitis” — right around at the same time Air Force One was preparing to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
Buckingham Palace officials weren’t certain her virus would impact the president’s visit, only saying Camilla “hopes” to be present for all scheduled events.
The sudden sickness sparked speculation online that Camilla could be trying to avoid the visit, though a source close to the queen assured the Daily Beast there’s “no way” she would dodge the Trumps and leave King Charles in the lurch.
Trump touched down in London Tuesday night and said he was looking forward to meeting with the king on Wednesday. His schedule shows him participating in a day full of events at Windsor Castle, where Charles and Camilla had arrived on Tuesday.
“Tomorrow is going to be a very big day,” Trump said, according to the BBC.
The president also had kind words for Scotland, where he owns a world famous golf course. He called the country a part of the United Kingdom that “warm(s) my heart.”
Following additional meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Trumps plan to return to the U.S. on Thursday evening.
King at Duchess of Kent’s funeral but ill Queen did not attend
King Charles and other senior royals have gathered with friends and family to remember Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, whose funeral was held at Westminster Cathedral.
But Queen Camilla sent her “deep regrets” at having to miss the service because she was recovering from acute sinusitis.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, among those who have paid warm tributes to the widely-respected, music-loving duchess, joined mourners at the Requiem Mass, alongside the Duke of Kent and his three children.
This is the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern times – and a message from Pope Leo was read out during the service.
The Pope’s message praised the duchess for her “dedication to official duties, patronage of charities and devoted care for vulnerable people” and sent his “heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness” to the King, the Duke of Kent and their family.
Queen Camilla’s absence because of ill health was announced by the palace ahead of the funeral.
“Her thoughts and prayers will be with the Duke of Kent and all the family,” said a statement from Buckingham Palace.
But the palace said that despite this painful inflammation of the sinuses, the Queen still plans to take part in the state visit of President Trump, who will be in Windsor on Wednesday.
Crowds gathered outside the Byzantine-style church in Westminster on Tuesday afternoon as the family and friends of the duchess arrived for the funeral, which was a private service.
Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence and Prince Andrew with his former wife Sarah Ferguson were among the royals attending. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh was at the funeral, but her husband Prince Edward was on an overseas visit.
There were also famous faces such as actresses Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska and champion racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart.
Readings at the service were given by the children and grandchildren of the duchess.
The coffin of the duchess had rested in front of the cathedral’s altar during the Requiem Mass, draped in the royal standard and with white roses among the flowers, in honour of the duchess’ Yorkshire roots.
The duchess was the oldest member of the Royal Family when she died earlier this month at the age of 92. She was married to the first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
There have been many memories of her kindness and her dedication to charities.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who presided over the funeral service, has spoken of how the duchess often volunteered at the Passage charity for the homeless, which is based next door to the cathedral.
Speaking ahead of the funeral, he remembered her as a “very down to earth person” who had helped in the kitchen and with cleaning at the charity.
“So as well as combining royal duties, she entered very wholeheartedly into serving people,” Cardinal Nichols told the BBC.
This is a historic moment in terms of being a royal Catholic funeral, but the Cardinal said it should be seen primarily as a “family funeral where the members of the family gather round”.
“One of their oldest members has died. A woman who was greatly loved within that family and also, as we’ve seen, by much of the public,” said Cardinal Nichols.
The duchess had a deep love of music and had worked as a primary school music teacher, calling herself Mrs Kent, with the pupils not knowing anything about her royal life.
Music at the funeral included Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart, which was selected by the duchess as her favourite piece when she was a guest on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1990.
A piper also played the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, which was played at the funeral of the late Queen, three years ago this week.
There was music by JS Bach and from the requiem by French composer Maurice Durufle.
The duchess has been remembered as a familiar figure at the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she handed over trophies – and consoled those who had lost, including a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993.
After the funeral at Westminster Cathedral, the coffin was taken to the royal burial ground in Frogmore, on the Windsor estate.
Why Queen Camilla Missed the Duchess of Kent’s Funeral
Queen Camilla will not be among the mourners attending the Duchess of Kent’s funeral at Westminster Cathedral this afternoon.
“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,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Town & Country understands that Queen Camilla hopes to have recovered sufficiently to attend all events of President Donald Trump’s State Visit to the UK, which begins tomorrow. The Duke of Kent has been informed of Queen Camilla’s decision, and sent her his best wishes.
Queen Camilla traveled down from Scotland this morning and is currently resting at Windsor. Her most recent public appearance was on September 7, when she and King Charles attended Sunday church services at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral.
King Charles is also traveling from Scotland to the funeral, though he was in London last week, during which he met briefly with Prince Harry. It was their first meeting in 19 months, an in an interview this past weekend, Harry revealed, “the focus really has to be on my dad” in the coming year.
The King, who announced his cancer diagnosis last February, is still undergoing treatment. “The thing you learn about this illness is that you just manage it and that’s what he does,” a senior royal aide said this spring. “Medical science has made incredible advances and I genuinely see no difference in him. As long as you just do what the doctors say, just live your life as normal as possible… that’s exactly what he is doing.”
Queen Camilla pulls out of Duchess of Kent’s funeral at the last minute – see statement
Queen Camilla will no longer attend the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Tuesday, 16 September. An official statement released by Buckingham Palace confirmed: “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.” Due to take place at Westminster Cathedral, King Charles and other senior royals will pay their respects in what will be the first Catholic funeral staged for a member of the royal family in modern times.
According to the NHS, sinusitis is the “swelling of the sinuses, usually caused by an infection”, which typically clears up in a matter of weeks. Following the Queen Consort’s decision to rest in Windsor, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, has been informed of her absence and has wished Camilla a speedy recovery. With President Donald Trump scheduled to land in the UK for a state visit on Wednesday, Camilla is still expected to partake as planned. This isn’t the first time that the Queen has been forced to cancel an engagement due to ill health. Back in November, the 78-year-old was advised by doctors to rest after coming down with a chest infection.
Katharine, Duchess of Kent’s funeral comes less than two weeks after her passing was confirmed on Friday, 5 September. The Palace stated: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.”Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family. The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
Katharine, who was a devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, marked a royal first after converting to Catholicism in 1994. Describing it as “a long-pondered personal decision”, she was received into the Roman Catholic Church by the late Cardinal Hume in a private ceremony held at Westminster Cathedral. As a result, her funeral will deviate from royal tradition.
Ahead of the funeral, the late royal’s coffin was taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral on Monday, before resting overnight in the Lady Chapel. Rallying around the Duke of Kent, Lady Amelia Windsor, Lady Marina Windsor and Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick, joined their grandfather to watch the coffin procession, which began at Kensington Palace. Transported in a hearse that the late Queen Elizabeth II designed, the Royal Dragoon Guards, a regiment which Katharine formerly supported as Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, carried her coffin from the royal hearse into the cathedral.
Following the procession, the Duchess of Kent’s family took part in the private funeral rites later that evening. As is tradition, the funeral rites included the Rite of Reception, where the coffin is sprinkled with holy water, included music, hymns and tributes.
King Charles Leads Royals at Duchess of Kent’s Historic Funeral amid Queen Camilla’s Last-Minute Absence
The funeral at Westminster Cathedral marks the first Catholic funeral for a member of the British royal family in modern history
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Members of the royal family, including King Charles, attended the funeral of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent
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The Duchess of Kent — who married Queen Elizabeth’s cousin the Duke of Kent — died on Sept. 4 and was laid to rest on Sept. 16
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The funeral at Westminster Cathedral marks the first Catholic funeral for a member of the British royal family in modern history
King Charles and other members of the royal family are saying goodbye to Katharine, the Duchess of Kent.
Following the death of Katharine — the wife of Queen Elizabeth‘s cousin the Duke of Kent — on Sept. 4, the royal family gathered for her funeral on Sept. 16.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the royal family members who attended the funeral, but Queen Camilla was forced to pull out at the last minute due to illness. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said she was suffering from “acute sinusitis” and sent her thoughts and prayers to the Duke of Kent and his family.
Jordan Pettitt – Pool/Getty
King Charles arrives at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Sept. 16, 2025
Princess Anne, Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also among the guests who attended the funeral on Tuesday.
The funeral took place at Westminster Cathedral and will be the first Catholic funeral for a member of the British royal family in modern history. According to her royal biography, the Duchess was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1994, despite the monarch being the head of the Church of England, a Protestant Anglican church they’ve been part of since the 16th century when King Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church.
The service will also be the first royal funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903.
Jordan Pettitt – Pool/Getty
Kate Middleton and Prince William arrive at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Sept. 16, 2025
The Duchess of Kent, who died aged 92 at her Kensington Palace home, was honored at her funeral by family, friends and representatives from her military and charitable affiliations. She was a passionate advocate for music education and accessibility, secretly spending a decade as a music teacher.
A piper from the Royal Dragoon Guards, of which the Duchess of Kent was the Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, will play “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep” while processing from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the coffin in the Nave and down the center aisle of the cathedral. The same lament was played during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022. The choir and organist of Westminster Cathedral provided choral music during the requiem mass, including “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart, which was selected by the Duchess of Kent as her favourite piece during her episode of Desert Island Discs in December 1990.
Her wicker coffin was constructed from English willow in Bridgewater, Somerset. It was draped with the Royal Standard for Other Members of the Royal Family. The wreath placed on top of the coffin included white roses, symbolizing the white rose of Yorkshire, where Katharine was born. The wreath also included sprays of rosemary for Remembrance, oak leaves for strength, seasonal September flowers symbolizing farewell, achillea representing healing and strength, jasmine for amiability and sprigs of yew from the gardens of Hovingham Hall, the Worsley family home, representing eternal life.
Following the funeral service, Katharine’s coffin will be moved to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor. Other royal family members buried there include Queen Elizabeth’s uncle who abdicated the throne, the Duke of Windsor, and his wife, Wallis Simpson.
Buckingham Palace announced the Duchess of Kent’s death “with deep sorrow” in a statement on Sept. 5.
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