Duke of Edinburgh forced to pull out of major palace event due to minor illness
Prince Edward was forced to skip a scheduled royal engagement with King Charles after falling unwell, sparking brief concern about his health.
The Duke of Edinburgh had been due to accompany the King at the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education ceremony at St James’ Palace. However, sources say he was unable to attend after coming down with a cold.
Edward’s withdrawal followed a busy run of recent duties, including travel to Italy for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where he attended several official events.
The ceremony he missed was notable as it marked the largest gathering of senior royals since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s recent arrest. Despite Edward’s absence, the event went ahead as planned, with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Princess Anne all in attendance.
During the ceremony, the King presented awards to 19 universities and colleges recognised for innovation and excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Queen Camilla also used the occasion to meet researchers from the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, where discussions focused on tackling sexual and gender-based violence.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward’s wife Sophie continued her international work, carrying out engagements in Somalia.
