The Queen has withdrawn from the annual Maundy Day church service, Buckingham Palace said.

Her Majesty, who has been experiencing mobility issues, will be represented for the first time by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at the event at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, next week.

It is with regret that the Queen, who turns 96 on 21 April, cannot commit to attending Thursday’s service, Sky News understands.

Also, she did not want her absence to overshadow the occasion, and for those attending to be aware in advance.

The annual event is an important fixture in the royal calendar and will see Prince Charles follow the ancient tradition of distributing Maundy money to community stalwarts.

On 29 March, the Queen made her first public appearance in months at a Service of Thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey to her late husband Prince Philip, where she used a walking stick, having quipped at an engagement in February that she could not move much.

However, she has continued to carry out regular duties virtually, performing two audiences with foreign ambassadors via video-link on Thursday.

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