LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II resumed public engagements on Tuesday after falling ill with Covid, as her son and heir Prince Charles was quoted as saying that she is “a lot better”.

Concerns have mounted for the 95-year-old monarch’s health since she tested positive on February 20, overshadowing the start of her record-breaking 70th year on the throne.

But a palace statement indicated she was now well enough to hold virtual engagements, hosting the new ambassadors of Andorra and Chad from her home at Windsor Castle.

The queen last week cancelled similar scheduled engagements with new ambassadors as she was suffering from what were described as “mild” Covid symptoms.

A diplomatic reception she was also due to attend on Wednesday this week was cancelled on the advice of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Buckingham Palace has said it will not give a running commentary on the head of state’s health, but news that she is undertaking duties again will be seen as positive.

During a walkabout on a visit to Southend-on-Sea, east of London, a member of the public asked Charles about his mother’s health.

“He said, ‘she’s a lot better now — it was very mild’,” Janice Jacom, 64, told reporters afterwards.

She described the illness as “very worrying as the queen is getting on a bit but I think she’s absolutely wonderful”.

Charles contracted Covid in early 2020 as the pandemic struck, and tested positive again on February 10 this year, two days after he last met his mother.

His second wife, Camilla, was confirmed to have the virus on February 14.

The queen was forced to slow down on medical advice after spending a night in hospital following unspecified tests in October last year and cancelled a string of engagements.

That included hosting world leaders at last November’s UN climate change summit in Glasgow, while she pulled out of the annual Remembrance Sunday service and the Church of England’s General Synod because of a back complaint. When she has made public appearances, she has appeared visibly more frail, using a walking stick.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022