BUCKINGHAM Palace have announced the Queen has cancelled her visit to Northern Ireland after medical advice, sparking speculation over her attendance of COP26.
Political leaders have wished the Queen well following the cancellation of her trip this week, which comes just days before she is set to attend Glasgow for the international climate summit.
The Queen had been due to arrive in Hillsborough, County Down, on Wednesday and she was also set to attend a church service in Armagh on Thursday to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland’s formation.
However, the trip was cancelled after the Queen “reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days”, Buckingham Palace said.
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Church leaders expressed sorrow after learning the Queen would not be attending.
They said: “We are very sorry to learn that it will not be possible for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to be present for the Service of Reflection and Hope in Armagh tomorrow,”
“We wish to convey to Her Majesty our good wishes and, in doing so, to acknowledge the significance of her commitment to the work of peace and reconciliation, which has meant a great deal to people throughout this island.”
The 95-year-old monarch is also set to travel to Scotland to attend COP26, but with the announcement over her well-being it will raise concerns about whether she will be able to attend.
However, Buckingham Palace also said whilst being disappointed not to be making the trip to Northern Ireland, she is in good spirits.
READ MORE: Putin will not attend COP26 climate summit in Glasgow
It comes as the Kremlin reportedly said Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the climate talks summit in Glasgow.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already been warned that China's President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend.
Both announcements will be a disappointment to the UK's hopes of getting world leaders to agree to significant measures to deal with the climate crisis, and a further blow if the Queen is also unable to attend.
Russia has committed to net-zero emissions by 2060 - the same date as China. The UK has committed to net-zero by 2050, while Scotland has set an earlier date of 2045.
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