Inside Queen Camilla’s health woes: From broken toe to hysterectomy as royal pulls out of engagement after illness

Queen Camilla has been forced to cancel her upcoming public appearances after falling ill with a respiratory infection.

It is understood the 77-year-old is recovering at home in Wiltshire and is being monitored by doctors.

Due to her illness, Her Majesty had to reluctantly withdraw from the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday.

As the daughter of decorated war hero Major Bruce Shand, who earned two military crosses for his bravery in World War II, it is a duty she takes on with utmost zeal and will be seen as a sign of how bad she feels.

The Duchess of Gloucester, 78, will replace her.

However, Camilla is very much hoping to attend this weekend’s commemorative events, including the ceremony at the Cenotaph on Sunday.

Camilla will also have to cancel her appearance at a Buckingham Palace reception honoring the country’s Olympic and Paralympic stars next Thursday.

King Charles will still be present, accompanied by his sister Princess Anne.

The update comes after a year of health problems for the royal family, with both the King and Princess of Wales diagnosed with cancer.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a respiratory infection for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.

‘It is with great regret that Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her commitments for this week, but she very much hopes that she will recover in time to attend this weekend’s commemorative events as normal.

“She apologizes to anyone who may experience any inconvenience or disappointment as a result.”

The queen has suffered from a number of injuries and illnesses over the years.

In July 2024, she suffered a bandaged ankle fracture during the special session of the States of Deliberation in the Guernsey Parliament.

When she became queen in 2022, she secretly suffered from a broken toe.

Other ailments she has experienced over the years include back pain, a broken leg and Covid – which she has had twice.

Her Majesty first contracted coronavirus around early 2021, during which time she self-isolated.

A year later, in February 2022, she contracted the virus again, forcing her to cancel appointments and take time off.

This came after the royal was told by medics to cancel her appearance at a gala dinner in 2019 while she was ill with a respiratory infection.

Another engagement she had to cancel was a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in 2015, which she was unable to attend due to neck and shoulder pain.

One of her most extensive medical treatments occurred in 2010, when the royal underwent a hysterectomy.

The operation forced her to spend a few days in the hospital, followed by a sex week of rest.

Some speculated that the procedure could be related to cancer, especially since she used to smoke, but aides confirmed that this was not the case.

That same year, Camilla broke her leg, but despite the injury, she continued to attend engagements with her leg in a cast using a wheelchair.

However, she had to cancel a number of appointments that year after suffering from a painful pinched nerve.

During a tour of Eastern Europe with the then Prince Charles, she was unable to make all her planned performances in Poland.

As for her current illness, MailOnline understands that there is ‘no cause for alarm’ and that it is just one of many ‘seasonal bugs’ that can be picked up at this time of year, especially given her international travel.

Camilla and the king have also just completed a grueling eleven-day, 30,000-mile tour, partly on commercial airlines.

The queen broke her journey by visiting an Ayurvedic spa in India for a few days on the outward journey, and again for three days on the way home, this time with the king.

No further details have been released about her illness or treatment, but Camilla is reportedly under a doctor’s care.

News of the Queen’s illness comes ahead of a new ITV documentary in which Camilla vows she will ‘keep trying’ to end domestic violence until she ‘can’t anymore’.

Camilla says in the film, which will be shown on November 11, that domestic abuse is a ‘heinous crime’ and that she is determined to continue raising awareness of the issue.

The Queen was followed for a year on the show which highlighted her work in this area, including private meetings with survivors and a visit to a shelter.

About ending domestic violence, Camilla said on the program ‘Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors’ that it is “going to take a very, very long time because it has been going on forever.”

She continued, “It’s been going since, since time began. But I think if you look at the strides we’ve made since the bad old days, we’ve made tremendous progress, and I’ll keep trying until I’m no longer able to.”