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26 October 2021, 11:42
The Queen reportedly set up a subtle way to tell her staff if she was feeling tired during a royal engagement, just a day before HRH went into hospital.
The Queen, 95, set up a 'secret sign' to let her aides know if she was feeling 'fatigued' during an event last week.
This is according to the Daily Mail, who report that the plan was set up while Her Majesty was hosting a reception to mark the Global Investment Summit at Windsor Castle.
While we do not know what the signal was going to be, it is said the Queen did not need to use it as she was on "sparkling form".
During the royal engagement, the Queen was on her feet for almost an hour, meeting and conversing with her guests.
This event was held on October 19, just a day before Her Royal Highness cancelled her trip to Northern Ireland before spending a night in hospital.
The Monarch was suppose to be travelling to Northern Ireland for a series of engagements on October 20 before the Palace released the following statement: "The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days.
"Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow.
"The Queen sends her warmest good wishes to the people of Northern Ireland, and looks forward to visiting in the future."
It then came to light that the Queen had spent a night in the hospital, with a spokesperson issuing a statement which read: "Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today, and remains in good spirits."
All of this comes two weeks after the Queen was pictured using a walking stick for the first time in 17 years.
The Head of State was attending a service at Westminster Abbey on October 12, where she used a black cane for extra support.
While many were concerned for the Queen, royal correspondent Rebecca English reported that the walking stick was "not for a specific medical condition" and that HRH was only using it "for comfort".
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