Queen welcomes new ambassadors as busy week continues

The 95-year-old head of state reached her Platinum Jubilee last month and recently recovered from a bout of Covid.

Queen Elizabeth II, in residence at Windsor Castle, appears on a screen via videolink, during a virtual audience to receive Lounes Magramane, Ambassador from the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, and Mrs Magramane, at Buckingham Palace (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

The Queen has kept up her busy schedule by holding two virtual audiences with senior diplomats posted to the UK.

After hosting a string of events on Tuesday the monarch welcomed Algeria’s new Ambassador Lounès Magramane, speaking to him from Windsor Castle.

The diplomat was in Buckingham Palace for the virtual audience and was joined by his wife, and the pair were pictured watching the Queen, who wore a colourful day dress, on a screen.

The Queen also spoke to Ilir Kapiti, Kosovo’s Ambassador, and his wife as the diplomat presented letters of recall of his predecessor and his own letters of credence.

On Tuesday, the monarch had afternoon tea with Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon and her husband, the journalist Whit Fraser, and also held two virtual audiences with ambassadors.

The 95-year-old head of state, who reached her Platinum Jubilee last month, has faced a bout of Covid in recent weeks, and also spent more than three months from October under doctors’ orders to conduct only light duties.