The Queen had a "lovely time" at Trooping the Colour but found the day "very tiring", the Duchess of Cambridge has revealed.
The monarch was seen beaming yesterday on the first day of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations during two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
However, it was announced last night she would not be attending a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral today or a reception at the Guildhall afterwards with other royals. She has also pulled out of attending the Epsom Derby tomorrow.
It comes after the 96-year-old monarch has been forced to pull out of several engagements of late due to episodic mobility issues.
And the Guildhall reception this afternoon, one attendee, Gill Smallwood from Bolton, spoke with Kate on Friday after the service of thanksgiving.
Ms Smallwood said she had asked Kate how the Queen was doing.
She told the PA news agency: “She (Kate) said, ‘yes, she was fine, it was just very tiring yesterday, and she (the Queen) had had a lovely, lovely time’."
She said Kate told her that Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte also “had a lovely time” at Thursday’s celebrations, during which all three Cambridge children appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for a flypast.
Ms Smallwood, chief executive of domestic violence charity Fortalice, was made an MBE in the New Year honours.
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The Queen was pictured smiling alongside senior royals on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade and flypast, but the day took its toll.
A source said that she experienced "episodic mobility issues", forcing her to make the "regrettable but sensible" decision not to attend today's service.
A senior palace spokesman said last night: “The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort.
“Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.
“The Queen is looking forward to participating in tonight’s Beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle and would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.”
But it appears that Kate was keen to pay her own tribute to the monarch today, even if she couldn't be at the service herself.
As well as wearing a beautiful yellow Emilia Wickstead dress with a matching hat by Philip Treacy - and she teamed it with a stunning pair of the Queen's earrings.
The earrings are part of the Queen's collection and are known as the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings, which the Queen received as a wedding present.
Kate has worn the jewellery several times in the past including at Prince Philip's funeral last year and a few times at the Cenotaph. They are thought to be on a permanent loan to Kate.
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