World 'fears for the Queen': Concern for Her Majesty's health dominates global news websites

News about the growing concerns over the health of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II dominated the homepages of newspapers around the world on Thursday.

Buckingham Palace said her doctors were ‘concerned’ for her health and recommended that she remain under medical supervision at Balmoral castle. The 96-year-old head of state – Britain’s longest-serving monarch – has been dogged by health problems since last year that have left her struggling to walk and stand.

The Queen – an instantly recognisable figure to billions of people across the globe – is in her Platinum Jubilee year, marking 70 years since she succeeded her father king George VI in 1952.

All her children – heir to the throne Prince Charles, 73, Princess Anne, 72, Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, were either at or heading to Balmoral, royal officials said. Prince William and Prince Harry – are either already by her side or en route, according to reports.

Newspapers across the Commonwealth – from Canada to Australia – and across Europe – including France, Spain, Germany and Italy – as well countless others around the world shared the news to their readers on Thursday.

News about the growing concerns over the health of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (pictured on Tuesday waiting to receive Prime Minister Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral) was carried on the homepages of newspapers around the world today

News about the growing concerns over the health of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (pictured on Tuesday waiting to receive Prime Minister Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral) was carried on the homepages of newspapers around the world today

Newspapers across the Commonwealth - from Canada to Australia - and across Europe - including France, Spain, Germany and Italy - as well countless others around the world shared the news to their readers on Thursday. Pictured: Australia's Sydney Morning Herald announces the news on Thursday that the queen is being cared for by doctors

Newspapers across the Commonwealth – from Canada to Australia – and across Europe – including France, Spain, Germany and Italy – as well countless others around the world shared the news to their readers on Thursday. Pictured: Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald announces the news on Thursday that the queen is being cared for by doctors

CANADA: The Toronto Star breaks the news to its readers that doctors are 'concerned' over the Queen's health

CANADA: The Toronto Star breaks the news to its readers that doctors are ‘concerned’ over the Queen’s health

GERMANY: Bild, a Germany tabloid, featured 'fear for the queen' on its website on Thursday

GERMANY: Bild, a Germany tabloid, featured ‘fear for the queen’ on its website on Thursday

ITALY: La Repubblica newspaper in Italy reported that the Queen's family are converging on Balmoral castle in Scotland

ITALY: La Repubblica newspaper in Italy reported that the Queen’s family are converging on Balmoral castle in Scotland

SPAIN: Spanish newspaper El Pais reports that doctors expressed their 'deep concern' over The Queen's health

SPAIN: Spanish newspaper El Pais reports that doctors expressed their ‘deep concern’ over The Queen’s health

SPAIN: Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia also used the image of The Queen at Balmoral Castle on Tuesday

SPAIN: Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia also used the image of The Queen at Balmoral Castle on Tuesday

ITALY: Ansa - the Italian news agency - ran the same picture as Bild and several other newspaper. Like Bild's Ana's headline broke the news about the fears around The Queen's health, while reporting that 'all the children (are) at her bedside.'

ITALY: Ansa – the Italian news agency – ran the same picture as Bild and several other newspaper. Like Bild’s Ana’s headline broke the news about the fears around The Queen’s health, while reporting that ‘all the children (are) at her bedside.’

Le Monde, France

TV2, Norway

Left: French newspaper Le Monde reports that the UK is ‘suspended’ over the health of The Queen. Right: Norway’s TV2 quotes an expert saying the situation is ‘highly dramatic’

On Wednesday, the queen pulled out of a planned meeting with her senior political advisors, after being told to rest. The previous day she held audiences at her Scottish Highlands retreat, Balmoral, with outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson and appointed his successor, Liz Truss. 

Several European newspapers featured a picture of the smiling Queen that was taken as she was waiting to receive Truss on Tuesday. The monarch, pictured holding a walking stick in the drawing room in Scotland’s Balmoral Castle was shown beaming ahead of the occasion.

Bild, a Germany tabloid, featured the words ‘fear for the queen’ over the photograph  its website on Thursday. Similarly, Ansa – the Italian news agency – ran the same picture. Like Bild’s Ana’s headline broke the news about the fears around The Queen’s health, while reporting that ‘all the children (are) at her bedside.’

France’s Liberation newspaper chose a picture of The Queen sitting on the royal throne. It reported that ‘Prince Harry and his wife Meghan’ were heading to to Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon.

FRANCE: French newspaper Le Figaro's headline on Thursday read: 'Queen Elizabeth II's doctors 'concerned' about her health'

FRANCE: French newspaper Le Figaro’s headline on Thursday read: ‘Queen Elizabeth II’s doctors ‘concerned’ about her health’

FRANCE: Liberation newspaper features a photograph of The Queen on the throne on its homepage on Thursday

FRANCE: Liberation newspaper features a photograph of The Queen on the throne on its homepage on Thursday

FRANCE: Paris-based newspaper Le Parisien reported that Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle were travelling to Balmoral

FRANCE: Paris-based newspaper Le Parisien reported that Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle were travelling to Balmoral

THE NETHERLANDS: Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that The Queen's family were by her side amid health concerns

THE NETHERLANDS: Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that The Queen’s family were by her side amid health concerns

PORTUGAL: Portuguese website 'Expresso' features a story about the protocol in place should The Queen's reign end

PORTUGAL: Portuguese website ‘Expresso’ features a story about the protocol in place should The Queen’s reign end

SWEDEN: Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet also said the Queen's 'whole family' were on their way to her bedside. It also reported that the BBC had suspended its regular programming

SWEDEN: Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet also said the Queen’s ‘whole family’ were on their way to her bedside. It also reported that the BBC had suspended its regular programming

Newspapers in the United States joined those across the pond in featuring the news about the Queen prominently on their websites. The New York Times featured a piece detailing the number of Prime Ministers The Queen has seen ‘come and go’ during her long reign, with her latest being Liz Truss.

Broadcaster Fox News said doctors had given ‘troubling news’ about The Queen’s health, while the Washington Post reported that her ‘family heads to her side’.

Their reports came as the U.S. ambassador to United Kingdom, Jane Hartley, sent her ‘thoughts and praters’ to Her Majesty. ‘I join the people of the United Kingdom, the United States, and across the world in sending our thoughts and prayers to Her Majesty The Queen and her family,’ she said.

On Thursday, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: ‘Following further evaluation this morning, the queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.

‘The queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral,’ the palace added. 

The palace statement about the queen’s health is highly unusual. ‘The palace does not issue bulletins on the queen’s health unless it’s significant,’ royal commentator and author Robert Hardman told the BBC.  

In February she was laid low by a bout of Covid, which she admitted afterwards had left her ‘exhausted’.

Officially, the palace has said only that the queen has been suffering from ‘episodic mobility problems’ but given no further details.

Russian news agencies also carried the news. Pictured: RIA Novosti, Russia's state-owned news agency reports that Queen Elizabeth's children 'came to her castle' on Thursday

Russian news agencies also carried the news. Pictured: RIA Novosti, Russia’s state-owned news agency reports that Queen Elizabeth’s children ‘came to her castle’ on Thursday

She spent an unscheduled night in hospital in central London in October 2021 and was advised to slow down.

She has pulled out of ceremonial engagements, delegating more to Charles, including the State Opening of Parliament and the Trooping the Colour military parade to mark her official birthday.

Moments before Thursday’s announcement, notes were passed to Truss and senior members of her team in parliament, prompting them to leave the chamber.

Truss tweeted almost immediately afterwards: ‘The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime,’ she added. ‘My thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time.’ 

source: dailymail.co.uk