Queen's ill health may prevent her from attending church on Sunday

Speculation as to whether the Queen is well enough to resume her usual routine remains just that. Photo / AP: J. Scott Applewhite

The Queen's ill health may again prevent her from attending church on Sunday.

The monarch has stayed out of the public eye since Christmas after being struck down with a heavy cold.

Buckingham Palace was unable to confirm whether the 90-year-old would be attending the Sunday service at Sandringham and refused to comment on Princess Anne's assurances on New Year's Day that the Queen was feeling "better".

Christmas day church service in Sandringham, England. Photo / AP

Speculation as to whether the Queen is well enough to resume her usual routine remains just that, as palace officials said her appearance will be confirmed after 9.30am on Sunday.

Queen Elizabeth broke protocol for the first time in her almost 64-year reign when she decided not to attend both her traditional Christmas and New Year's church services.

She was struck down by a nasty cold virus and forced to delay her annual trip to Sandringham for the holidays, opting to travel one day later than planned, by helicopter rather than by train to shorten the travel time.

However, it is believed that she is now on the mend and will attend a Sunday service on Sunday at St Mary Magdalene Church on her Norfolk Estate.

Prince Philip, 95, also suffered from the heavy cold but had recovered enough to attend the service on New Year's Day together with the Princess Royal.

The Palace's last official statement was last Sunday morning when it was confirmed that the Queen would not be attending last week's service.

The statement simply said: "The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold."

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- Originally published by Telegraph UK