Queen Elizabeth II looked frail and admitted to trouble moving Wednesday during her first in-person appearance since Prince Andrew settled a multimillion-dollar sexual assault lawsuit, according to reports.
The 95-year-old monarch, who had a COVID-19 scare last week, met with incoming Defense Services Secretary Maj. Gen. Eldon Millar at Windsor Castle, walking with a cane and appearing stiff, according to the UK Independent.
“I can’t move,” the Queen told Millar as she gestured towards her foot.
The armed forces engagement had been on the books long before the Queen was monitored last week for possible infection with the virus after her eldest son, Prince Charles, came down with it. The palace said she was not showing symptoms, but did not say if she tested positive.
The meeting with Millar and his predecessor, Rear Adm. James Macleod, also came after the disgraced Duke of York agreed to pay accuser Virginia Giuffre roughly $12 million in a settlement, reportedly at the Queen’s urging.
During her meeting in the Oak Room on Wednesday, the Queen wore a green dress and pearls and flashed the military leaders a grin.
Buckingham Palace has refused to confirm whether the Queen has tested positive for the coronavirus, and it was not immediately clear why she was having trouble walking.
On Tuesday, the Queen also looked healthy during a virtual appearance with Estonian and Spanish ambassadors.