Queen will miss COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow

The Queen on a video call at Windsor CastleImage source, Buckingham Palace
Image caption,

The Queen was pictured during a video call from Windsor Castle on Tuesday

The Queen will not attend the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow after medical advice to rest.

Her Majesty, who is 95, had medical checks in hospital last week after cancelling a visit to Northern Ireland.

Buckingham Palace said she "regretfully" decided not to attend a reception at the summit.

But the palace said she would deliver her address to delegates using a recorded video message instead.

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

The Queen is disappointed not to attend the summit, Buckingham Palace said

The Queen was due to travel to Scotland for a number of COP26 events with other senior members of the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Yesterday she was back at work and had a meeting via video call from Windsor Castle.

Pictures of the call showed the Queen smiling as she greeted South Korean and Swiss ambassadors, who were speaking to her from Buckingham Palace.

But on Tuesday evening, Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch had "regretfully" decided not to attend COP, and would instead record a video message for those at the event.

The COP26 summit is a meeting of world leaders to discuss solutions to the problem of climate change.

The Queen isn't the only high profile guest missing from the event. Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping, the President of China - the world's biggest polluter - won't be attending either.

The Queen was recently overheard at the opening of the Welsh Parliament saying it is "really irritating" when people talk but don't act on climate issues.