The Queen was due to host a diplomatic reception at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, March 2. However, after being advised by her foreign secretary, the Queen has postponed the meeting with hundreds of diplomates.
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Postponed reception
Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that the Queen had accepted the foreign secretary's advice to postpone the event but not because of the Queen’s COVID diagnosis.
Indeed the Queen has already had to cancel several virtual audiences last week due to COVID. However, the foreign secretary advised the Queen to postpone the event in retrospect of the war in Ukraine.
The Palace said:
The Queen has accepted the foreign secretary's advice that the diplomatic reception at Windsor on March 2 should be postponed.
The Palace has not said when the reception will be held in the future.
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The diplomatic reception
The diplomatic reception that has been postponed is an annual event where many ambassadors and high commissioners from every diplomatic mission in London come to Windsor Castle to meet with the Queen.
When the Palace first announced the event was postponed, many believed it was due to the Queen’s health after being diagnosed with COVID on February 20 as she has had to cancel three meetings already.
The Palace assured the Queen is doing fine and is carrying out ‘light duties’.
The Queen’s upcoming events include the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on 14 March and a memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh on 29 March.
