Royal Watch News

Prince Andrew: Queen Elizabeth is being 'sensible'

Mar 13, 2013, 16:02 GMT

Britain\'s Prince Andrew

Britain's Prince Andrew says Queen Elizabeth is being 'sensible' by cancelling her engagements.

The monarch's son made a solo visit to London's Tech City today (13.03.13) in place of his 86-year-old mother as she stayed away to continue her recovery from gastroenteritis, which she was hospitalised with earlier this month, and he ensured staff the queen is 'not ill' but simply taking precautions.

He said: 'I apologise that the queen couldn't come, she just feels it would be more sensible not to risk coming out at the moment. But she's not ill, if you understand what I mean.'

Andrew, 53, also shared his happiness at being back in the building after he attended the official opening of The Trampery - a Pioneering Co-Working Space - in October 2011 and promised he would try to re-arrange a visit with his mother.

He continued: 'It's a great privilege to see you here today having already opened the building once, it's nice to be back. And I will try and encourage Her Majesty to come back on a future occasion.

'Or alternatively we'll just have to take the whole office into the Palace, which is the easiest way of doing it!'

The queen is also scheduled to have a day of rest tomorrow (14.03.13) in a bid to make a full recovery from the stomach bug.

In a statement released yesterday (12.03.13), Buckingham Palace said: 'The queen continues to make a good recovery following her recent illness, and today she presented the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry and held a series of audiences.

'However, regrettably, she will no longer attend the Tech City engagement planned for tomorrow, or the Soldiers' and Airmen's Scriptures Association Service at the Guards Chapel.'