Queen Camilla's 'hopes' of returning to work could be unwise
Queen Camilla worried the nation when she pulled out of several public engagements this week due to a chest infection.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Palace spokesperson said: "Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.
Though she is unwell, the Queen hopes to be well again in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance Day events as normal – though according to medical professionals, this is perhaps not her best idea.
Rest is crucial for everyone when it comes to recovering from chest infections, but in particular for older generations. As such, at 77, Queen Camilla should be taking her time rather than rushing to return to work.
"Rest is important for conserving energy to help direct all resources of the body to help form an immune response to help fight off the infection," explains Dr. Vikram Murthy, GP and co-founder of Harley St clinic Murthy Health.
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"Rest is needed for a full recovery," adds GP and aesthetic doctor Dr. Chandni Rajani. "During rest, the body directs energy to healing processes, with sleep being particularly crucial for tissue repair and hormone production.
"Adequate rest supports immune function, reduces inflammation, and manages pain, creating optimal conditions for efficient and effective recovery. Rest is an active phase that allows the body to prioritize healing, contributing to a smoother and more complete recovery."
READ: King Charles and Queen Camilla's strict daily ritual they never skip
He adds that even though the Queen might feel up to Sunday's event, it could still be unwise: "Feeling good doesn't necessarily mean your body is ready for a return to normal activities."
Resting as we age
On why rest is particularly important as we get older, Dr. Murthy adds: "As we get older, we require more recovery time as sadly our immune response and system naturally slows down as we age."
With Queen Camilla determined to be well for the weekend, Dr. Murthy shares his advice for aiding recovery.
"Staying well hydrated, keeping active and having good sleep as well as having a healthy balanced diet including vitamins A, C, E and zinc with protein can help boost your recovery."
Fast recoveries
The royal family has been through the wars this year, with Princess Anne struck down by a concussion and Sarah Ferguson, Princess Kate and King Charles all undergoing treatment for cancer.
Princess Kate certainly took doctor's orders to rest seriously, stepping back from public duties entirely to look after herself and attending very few public events throughout the years.
Even upon completing chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales was firm in her plans to continue focusing on staying well, noting that while she was looking forward to returning to work, her priority was remaining cancer-free.
King Charles also followed health advice to pull back from his public duties, however remained in the public eye more than his daughter-in-law, continuing public engagements despite his cancer treatment.
He also opted to pause his cancer treatment last month, when he flew to Australia and Somalia. His doctors approved his decision to temporarily halt treatment, noting it would be safe to do so for a short period.
Princess Anne also hurried back to work after illness. The 74-year-old suffered a concussion after a horse-related accident at home and stayed in hospital for several days.
It was expected she would miss several public engagements, but she was back to work sooner than expected, defending her title as the hardest-working member of the royal family.
Here's hoping Queen Camilla is made of the same sturdy stuff as her family and is feeling up to this Sunday's engagement.
