Queen returns to Windsor after short Sandringham break

The 96-year-old monarch celebrated her platinum jubilee at a series of national events a month ago

Queen Elizabeth II attending the Queen's Body Guard for Scotland (also known as the Royal Company of Archers) Reddendo Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh (Getty Images)

The Queen has returned to Windsor Castle after a short break on her Sandringham estate.

The 96-year-old monarch flew back to her Berkshire residence on Wednesday after spending five days privately in Norfolk.

It followed a trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week when the head of state made an increasingly rare run of official public appearances including attending the historic Ceremony of the Keys in Edinburgh.

On Wednesday 29 June, she met with Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon for the first time since the latter revealed plans for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The meeting took place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

The Queen attending the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Her Majesty also joined the Prince of Wales in watching the Reddendo parade, in which more than 300 officers and archers from the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland gather in the gardens of the Palace.

Next Tuesday, the Queen is hoping to present the George Cross to the NHS during a special audience at Windsor.

Accompanied by the Prince of Wales, she will welcome the chief executives of the National Health Services of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and a frontline worker from each of the home nations on 12 July.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen, who has ongoing mobility problems, is planning to attend the audience, but a final decision will be made on the day.

The monarch awarded the NHS the prestigious bravery award a year ago for its “courage, compassion and dedication” during the pandemic and throughout the 70-plus years since its foundation.

In a few weeks’ time, she will be expected to return to Scotland for her annual holiday at Balmoral Castle in the Highlands.

The royal family traditionally retreat to the Queen’s private estate during the summer months, where they make the most of the countryside, enjoy barbecues and spend their time riding, fishing or walking.

The Queen took a short break at Balmoral at the end of May, ahead of the Jubilee celebrations, in order to pace herself before the festivities.