The Queen and Prince Philip leave for Sandringham by helicopter after trip postponed by ‘heavy colds’
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were meant to travel to Sandringham on Wednesday but had to postpone the trip
THE Queen and Prince Philip have left via helicopter for their annual Christmas trip after being delayed by heavy colds.
The royals were scheduled to travel by train to Sandringham on Wednesday morning but cops were stood down just moments before the 10.44am was due to depart.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson yesterday confirmed: "The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have heavy colds, and so have decided not to travel to Sandringham (Wednesday)."
The couple were meant to catch the train to King's Lynn at 10.44am but security were left in the dark when they did not appear.
A royal source revealed that the Duke, 95 — who was due to go by car — has been struck down harder and is being monitored.
They said: “The Duke is worse than Her Majesty."
The couple were last seen in public together alongside Charles, Camilla, William and Kate at a Buckingham Palace reception on December 8.
The helicopter trip comes after aides revealed the Queen was determined to travel to Sandringham.
The pair, aged 90 and 95, normally spend Christmas at the Norfolk estate.
The change in plans comes after it was announced that the Queen would step down as patron of more than 20 national organisations.
The Queen, who celebrated her 90th birthday in April, will relinquish her association with the bodies – just as the Duke of Edinburgh broke formal ties with some of his patronages when he turned 90 in 2011.
The Royal family kicked off their Christmas celebrations with a lunch at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
They were joined by Prince George and his little sister Charlotte for the first time, with the children of Prince William and Kate previously deemed to be too young for the event.
It is the big Christmas celebration for the family with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opting to spend Christmas Day with Kate’s family in Berkshire.
It is their first Christmas away from Sandringham since Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, 19 months, were born.
Brother Harry will be in Sandringham, Norfolk, enjoying the festive season with his family despite having just dropped off his girlfriend Meghan Markle at the airport this week.
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