In her last public appearance, Queen Elizabeth formally approved the appointment of Liz Terrace as Prime Minister on Tuesday, becoming the 15th prime minister in the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
The Queen had decided to stay in Balmoral instead of returning to London, where the hand-over ceremony between the two prime ministers is usually organized, due to her health problems.
Pictures broadcast by the palace showed the queen smiling, leaning on a cane and shaking hands with Liz Terrace.
Queen Elizabeth greets Liz Terrace
Yesterday evening, Wednesday, the palace announced that the Queen had postponed an online meeting after doctors advised her to rest.
In May, Prince Charles, in her place, for the first time delivered the Throne Address to Parliament, one of her most prominent constitutional duties.
In early June, the British celebrated for four days the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.
The Queen on her palace balcony during festivities last June
No British monarch has ever held the throne for this long. It is unlikely that any other king will achieve this. Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, is 73, while his son William will soon celebrate his 40th birthday.
During these celebrations, Elizabeth appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet tens of thousands of people.
Weeks later, she made several public appearances in Scotland, smiling while wielding a cane during an armed forces parade in Edinburgh at the end of June.
The Queen during an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne last June
The Queen during an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne last June