The Queen will not lay a wreath during this year’s Remembrance Sunday ceremony.
The 91-year-old monarch will not place the floral arrangement at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London this year and, instead, will watch from the balcony of the Foreign Office with her husband Prince Philip, while their son Prince Charles – who has taken over some of her duties – lays the tribute on behalf of the nation on November 12.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman told the BBC: "The Queen wishes to be alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and he will be in the balcony."
BBC Royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the change was "another sign of the Royal Family in transition", as well as "an acknowledgment of the fact the Queen is 91."
This will be the seventh time she hasn’t laid the wreath since her coronation.
She previously missed out in 1959 and 1963 during her pregnancies with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward and then when she was on visits abroad – Ghana in 1961, Brazil in 1968, Kenya in 1983 and South Africa in 1999.
Charles, 68, laid the wreath on her behalf when she was in Kenya and was reportedly her first choice when deciding who should take her place this year.
Her decision to stand with her husband on the balcony this time around comes just months after he announced his retirement from his royal duties.
Despite his decision to step down, the 95-year-old royal – who has battled with ill-health over the past few years – is still allowed to attend "certain public events from time to time" if he chooses to.
A statement said at the time: "Although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time."
Queen won’t lay wreath during Remembrance Sunday ceremony
