Queen’s mystery illness revealed by Buckingham Palace

Queen Camilla has confirmed that the illness which struck her down and forced her to pull out of several royal engagements was a form of pneumonia.

Camilla, 77, contracted a chest infection after a long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa and has missed a number of events since then.

She had to miss the Royal Variety Performance, the Gladiator II film premiere, and the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph.

It’s understood that Camilla wasn’t hospitalised with the illness, and that her form of pneumonia was viral rather than bacterial.

While she is among members of the royal family meeting the Emir of Qatar on their state visit today, she is not attending the outdoor elements due to suffering ‘post-viral fatigue’.

Camilla told guests at the state visit about her diagnosis of pneumonia, and since her recovery she has been facing bouts of ‘extreme tiredness’.

A royal source said: ‘Some days the Queen is on really good form. It’s just one of those things.

‘She has lost the coughing but the lingering side of it is bouts of extreme tiredness.

‘There has to be a degree of flex in the Queen’s diary at the moment.’

The Queen missed the outdoor ceremonial welcome on a chilly Horse Guards Parade on Tuesday.

Instead, she arrived at Buckingham Palace shortly beforehand, giving a smile as she stepped from her car at the Grand Entrance.

Camilla waited for the Emir of Qatar and his wife inside, in the warm surroundings of the Grand Hall.

Once inside the palace, the Emir and his wife were introduced by the King and Queen to the British suite – key members of the Royal Household – who had gathered to wait in a receiving line.

The King and Emir walked together, followed by Camilla and Sheikha Jawaher.

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