The Queen shares poignant message about 'slowing time' as she recovers from injury

17 November 2021, 11:00

The Queen said in her address: 'None of us can slow the passage of time'. Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

The Queen's son, Prince Edward, spoke on behalf of the Monarch as she missed another royal engagement after spraining her back.

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The Queen, 95, shared a message about 'slowing the passage of time' this week as she remained at Windsor Castle following a back sprain.

Her Majesty was forced to miss the opening session of the 11th General Synod of the Church of England on Wednesday, an occasion she has never missed in its 51-year-history.

Her son, Prince Edward, attended in her place, and read the Monarch's address aloud for the bishops and clergy at Church House.

The Earl of Wessex said that the Queen "deeply regretted" not being able to attend herself.

Her Majesty was forced to remain at Windsor Castle after spraining her back. Picture: Getty

The Queen's address read: "It is hard to believe that it is over 50 years since Prince Philip and I attended the very first meeting of the General Synod."

She went on to say that "none of us can slow the passage of time", an especially poignant line as her wedding anniversary approaches.

The Earl of Wessex attended the opening session of the 11th General Synod of the Church of England in the Queen's place. Picture: Alamy

"None of us can slow the passage of time", the Queen had written: "And while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings."

On November 20, the Queen will mark her first wedding anniversary without her beloved husband Prince Phillip following his death at the age of 99-years-old in April this year.

The couple wed in 1947, and would have celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary this month.

The Queen has recently cancelled many engagements due to her health. Picture: Getty

The Queen is currently resting at Windsor Castle after spraining her back.

The injury was the reason the Queen was forced to miss the Remembrance Sunday Service on November 14, an event which means a lot to the Monarch.

The sprain comes just weeks after Her Majesty missed a number of other events due to advice from her doctors.

In October, the Queen cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland as well as her plans to attend the COP26 summit in Scotland.

She also stayed overnight in a London hospital around the same time, for "preliminary investigations" before returning to Windsor Castle the following day.