Royal admirers won't be seeing Queen Elizabeth II at Easter service this weekend.
While Buckingham Palace confirmed that members of the royal family will be at the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, a senior Buckingham Palace source told NBC News that Her Majesty is not expected to attend.
The exact reason for her absence was not revealed. However, this isn't the only recent event the monarch, 95, has had to miss. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall represented the queen at the Royal Maundy Service at St. George's Chapel on April 14, making it the first time since 1970 that she hasn't been in attendance according to the BBC. She also missed the Commonwealth Day Service on March 14.
Although, Queen Elizabeth II did attend the Service of Thanksgiving for her late husband Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99 last April, at Westminster Abbey in London on March 29. This marked her first public appearance in five months. While the queen had held virtual meetings and public receptions at her royal residences before this date, she had not attended a public engagement outside of these walls since October 2021.
She had spent a night in the hospital later in October for "some preliminary investigations," Buckingham Palace said at the time, and in November she missed the Remembrance Sunday Service after she sprained her back. In addition, Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 in February 2022.
Still, Her Majesty continues to carry out her duties, joining a video call to mark the opening of the Royal London Hospital's Queen Elizabeth Unit just a few days ago on April 10.
Next week, on April 21, it's the monarch's 96th birthday. And this isn't the only major milestone she's celebrating. Back in February, she marked 70 years on the throne, making her the first British monarch to reach this anniversary, and festivities will continue to take place throughout the year in honor of her Platinum Jubilee.
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family).