Queen cancels more visits due to knee

The Queen had cartilage removed from her knee

The Queen has cancelled three more planned appointments, due to her recovery from a recent knee operation.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Queen will not be attending church on Sunday and has pulled out of the annual meeting of the Sandringham Women's Institute on Wednesday.

She has also postponed a February visit to a London school.

Where she [the Queen] was required to stand for lengthy periods or walk, she is withdrawing

The Queen left hospital on Tuesday following a two-night stay for a minor knee operation.

She had already been forced to cancel a planned visit to Chelmsford Cathedral, scheduled for the end of January.

In a statement the Palace said the Queen was continuing to carry out engagements but was withdrawing from those "where she was required to stand for lengthy periods or walk".

'Good progress'

Sunday's church visit was due to be at Hillington, near Sandringham in Norfolk.

The local branch of the Women's Institute, of which the Queen Mother was president, said they were disappointed the Queen had been forced to cancel.

Sandringham institute chairman Yvonne Browne said: "It will be the first time that a member of the Royal Family has not attended the meeting for many years.

The Queen has relied on the use of a stick for walking

"We were hoping that she would have talked about the Jubilee Year.

"But sadly her injury is such that she cannot make it and we hope she recovers quickly."

The Queen was also due to visit children at the Royal Russell School, in Croydon, south London, on 12 February.

The Palace spokeswoman said the Queen was continuing to make good progress.

She said: "Her Majesty is continuing to undertake as many engagements as she can but where she was required to stand for lengthy periods or walk, she is withdrawing."

On Thursday, the Palace announced that the Queen would not be able to visit Chelmsford, Essex, on 31 January, to mark the 50th anniversary of the East Coast floods.

Convalescing

The Earl and Countess of Wessex would now attend the commemorations instead.

The Queen was treated at King Edward VII Hospital in London, in an operation to remove cartilage from her right knee.

She had sustained the injury during a private visit to Newmarket just before Christmas.

The 76-year-old monarch is now convalescing at Sandringham in Norfolk.

The Queen still will undertake an official engagement at Sandringham - a presentation by the Armed Forces of Jubilee Gates at Sandringham House - on 29 January.