Queen Elizabeth II misses Maundy Thursday service, not expected to attend Easter ceremony

Queen Elizabeth II has once again missed a traditional service after she didn’t attend the Maundy Thursday service for the first time since 1970.

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Instead, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, took the queen’s position in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, BBC News reported.

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Maundy Thursday services Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall hold floral posies as they leave the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England, Thursday, April 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (Alastair Grant/AP)

Prince Charles distributed the “Maundy money,” specially-minted coins, along with a purse of traditional coins, to men and women who serve the church and community.

This year, they handed 96 men and 96 women 96 pence each to commemorate the queen’s 96th birthday next week, “Today” reported.

The queen is the head of the Church of England and typically attends services, but when she is not able to do so in person, she attends worship online, People magazine reported.

The regent will also miss Easter services this Sunday, the “Today” show reported.

She was last seen in public at the thanksgiving service honoring her late husband Prince Philip on March 29. She had been diagnosed with COVID-19 in February, and said that the illness left her “very tired and exhausted,” the publication reported.

>>Previous coverage: Coronavirus: Queen Elizabeth tests positive for COVID-19

Elizabeth also has some mobility issues, BBC News reported.

>>Previous coverage: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George, Princess Charlotte attend Prince Philip’s memorial service

Her lack of attendance at Thursday’s service was not unexpected. BBC News had reported that she had tapped her son to represent her earlier this week.

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Photos: Queen Elizabeth II through the years 1936: Princess Elizabeth sitting on a garden seat with two corgi dogs at her home on 145 Piccadilly, London, in July 1936. (Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images)

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