Queen Elizabeth Delayed Yet Another Huge Event Amid The Ukraine Crisis
The last few years have been anything but predictable for Queen Elizabeth II. When the COVID-19 crisis hit, she had to learn a new way of life, per CNN. The institution that thrives on interaction with people, conventions, and face-to-face events, had to adapt to a situation where the rules had suddenly changed. But instead of clinging to the old ways, the nonagenarian endeared herself to the public as she learned how to have virtual meetings and boosted British morale by never giving up in the face of adversity. This, in itself, was a remarkable feat considering that in this period, her grandson put the royal family on blast and she lost her husband of 73 years. She stoically pressed forward and put her duty above herself as generations of royals have done before her.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that when the monarch was diagnosed with COVID-19 in February, she took it in her stride. Buckingham Palace released a statement, per the BBC, "She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines." The Daily Mail reports that the queen kept her telephonic appointment with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on February 23. Since then, Elizabeth has had to cancel two virtual meetings because her voice "still sounds full of cold." Now, the monarch has had to postpone another engagement — but, this time, it has nothing to do with her health.
Queen Elizabeth listens to foreign secretary's advice
Queen Elizabeth and the royal family were supposed to host 500 members of the diplomatic corps for their annual meeting at Windsor Castle. Now, the event may be held at a later date because the queen has heeded the advice of the UK's Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss. Truss advised the monarch to postpone the meeting amid the escalating crisis between Russia and Ukraine, per People. Buckingham Palace released a statement on February 26, confirming that the meeting had been delayed: "The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice that the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor on Wednesday 2nd March should be postponed." It seems as if the postponement was due to Russia's attacks on Ukraine, and not because of the monarch's health issues.
Truss has made no secret of her opinion about Russia and its attacks on Ukraine. Evening Standard reports that she twice berated Moscow's ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin. She even kicked him out of a meeting during the week of the invasion because he allegedly started "spouting the Kremlin's incredulous propaganda lines." The foreign secretary views Russias' attacks on Ukraine as a "breach of international law" and warned Kelin that "Russia has made itself an international pariah."
It seems as if Truss may have warned the queen that the timing for the diplomatic corps meeting may be a little off. The queen has apparently listened to the foreign secretary's advice and is showing her support for the UK government.