Elizabeth II cancels appearance over bad back

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Published time: October 12, 2012 02:48
Edited time: October 12, 2012 06:48

The reigning monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth, II has been forced to cancel an appearance and forfeit her role in an investiture ceremony due to chronic sciatica.

­The Queen was advised not to present the more than 90 honors at Windsor Castle over concerns that it would be too physically demanding for her feet and could worsen the already bad condition of her.

Charles, Prince of Wales and the heir to the throne, will replace his mother at the ceremony.

The Daily Mail reports that the first signs of the Queen's deteriorating back conditions showed on Sunday when she missed the last church service of her summer sojourn in the Scottish Highlands.

A senior royal source told the Mail, "While the Queen’s condition is not serious, an investiture involved an hour of standing and she still has a sore back.”

Thursday’s ceremony would place a lot of pressure on the Queen's spine, as she would be constantly swaying back and forth in pinning the medals to the honored guests.

"The Queen is continuing to work, but has decided to avoid the more physically demanding engagements," the source added.

The 86-year-old monarch remains a very publicly active social figure, with over 300 engagements every year. 

Sciatica is an agonizing condition affecting thousands worldwide. The sciatic nerve, running from the base of the back and down the leg, is put under pressure by the spine, bringing crippling lower-back pain and numbness of the legs. It can also indicate arthritis of the spine.