Queen Elizabeth II has officially sworn in the 56th British Prime Minister Liz Truss at Balmoral castle.
The monarch, who hasn’t been seen in a while, donned a grey plaid skirt, blouse and matching cardigan as she shook hands with the nation’s new leader.
“Her Majesty asked her to form a new Administration. Ms. Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and was appointed Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury,” read a statement on the official royal family Instagram page.
While fans were delighted to see The Queen back in action, some couldn’t help but notice a small detail about Her Majesty that sent off alarm bells.
Not only was her right hand bruised, she relied on a walking stick throughout the visit.
“The queen looks so fragile,” one user observed.
“Look the Queen’s hand, what’s happened?” another penned.
“Her Majesty’s right hand looks darker than it should be. I hope it’s nothing serious and the Queen is doing well!,” a third added.
While traditionally Prime Ministers are sworn in at Buckingham Palace, this year Liz Truss travelled to the 96-year-old sovereign’s Balmoral retreat in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
As The Queen has been grappling with mobility issues, her recent appearances have often been altered or even cancelled to accomodate for the monarch.
One of the last times we saw Her Majesty in action was during her monumental Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The 96-year-old looked in good spirits as she appeared on the balcony for Trooping The Colour.
But when celebrations continued with a Service of Thanksgiving held at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty was instead represented by her family due to health reasons.
She did, however, make a surprise balcony appearance following the Platinum Pageant.
In February, the Queen contracted the COVID-19 virus.
“It does leave one very tired and exhausted, doesn’t it, this horrible pandemic?” she said, opening up to a recovering COVID-19 patient who was treated at the Queen Elizabeth Unit.
The sovereign was also hospitalised in October 2021 for an undisclosed reason, meaning she had to cancel many major royal engagements and was absent from key events like the Commonwealth Day service.