It would have been her first public appearance in over two weeks but Her Majesty has been forced to sit out yet another annual tradition due to illness.
The Queen was set to attend the Divine Service at Sandringham church on New Year’s Day but Buckingham Palace confirmed she was still too unwell to make it. This is the second time in as many weeks the 90-year-old monarch has cancelled her festive season plans due to poor health..
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “Her Majesty The Queen will not attend Sunday worship at Sandringham today.
“The Queen does not yet feel ready to attend church as she is still recuperating from a heavy cold.”
Her 95-year-old husband Prince Philip attended the service alone, braving the wintry conditions.
Elizabeth had previously attended the Christmas service at the church every year since the royal family started celebrating Christmas at Sandringham in 1988.
Both Her Majesty and the Prince were struck down with heavy colds before Christmas and had to postpone their annual train ride to Sandringham House, where they traditionally reside until early February. Instead, they flew up by helicopter on Christmas Eve.
While The Duke recovered before Christmas Day, the Queen has been unable to shake the virus which forced her to miss the Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church for the first time since 1988.
Just days ago, the Palace were forced to refute claims the Queen had died.
A fake BBC News Twitter account shared the “news” on Thursday, sending followers into a spin.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh continue to recover from their heavy colds.”
Gallery: The Queen and Prince Philip’s marriage through the years
