Queen 'under medical supervision' at Balmoral

Her Majesty The Queen, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces, is under medical supervision at Balmoral with doctors concerned for her health, Buckingham Palace has said.

The monarch, 96, pulled out of a virtual Privy Council on Wednesday, a day after appointing Liz Truss as Prime Minister at her home in the Scottish Highlands.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.

"The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral."

The future king, the Prince of Wales, and second in line to the throne, the Duke of Cambridge, cleared their diaries to travel to the Queen's Scottish Highlands home.

The Queen's four children – Charles, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex – are either at her bedside or on their way, joined by the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex.

The Duchess of Cambridge remains in Windsor to take care of her and William's children, who had their first full day at their new school.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were due to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony in London, and it was originally reported they both changed their plans to travel to see the Queen.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be travelling to Scotland," a spokesperson for the couple said.

An RAF plane landed in Aberdeen just after 16:00, carrying the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

It was originally thought both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were on their way to Balmoral separately from the other Royals but had been in co-ordination with other family members' plans.

However, a source later said that Meghan will remain in London, with Harry travelling to Balmoral alone, but she will not attend the WellChild awards.

The duchess could potentially join Harry in Scotland at a later date, the source said, following the change of plan.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said "the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime" adding "my thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time".

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted the Commons energy debate to tell MPs: "I know I speak on behalf of the entire House when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen and that she and the Royal Family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment."

During her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the Queen only travelled to Buckingham Palace twice, first for her Trooping the Colour balcony appearance and then for a finale after the pageant.

She secretly spent a night in hospital in October undergoing tests and was then under doctors' orders to rest for the next three months, missing the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service and Cop26 climate change talks.

The Queen caught COVID-19 in February, and suffered from mild cold-like symptoms but said the virus left her "very tired and exhausted".