Queen Elizabeth II Holds In-Person Meeting Amidst Bad News About Her Sons

Queen Elizabeth II has put on a brave face amidst the bad news about her sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Charles.

Despite using a cane, the 95-year-old monarch appeared in good health and high spirits as she held her first in-person meeting since her return at Windsor Castle from her winter break.

The Queen met with the incoming Defence Services Secretary, Major General Eldon Miller, and his predecessor, Rear Admiral James McLeod.

The in-person meeting was particularly important for Her Majesty as the Defence Services Secretary is the official link between the Queen and the Secretary of State for Defence, and the Chiefs of Staff on all matters concerning the monarch's relationship with the armed forces of which she is head.

At the beginning of the meeting, as the Queen attempted to shuffle across the room, she said, “‘Oh, I am here,' chuckling as the two secretaries entered her room.

The Sovereign beamed in a colourful dress featuring a geometric pattern as she welcomed her guests in the Oak Room at her Berkshire residence.

Her Majesty accessorised her outfit with her iconic pearl earrings and necklace and a diamond brooch.

Pictures from the engagement show she used a light walking stick to move around the room.

It is the Queen's first in-person appearance since her Covid scare six days ago, suggesting she may have escaped the virus despite coming into contact with Prince Charles, who tested positive for Covid-19 two days later.

On Monday, her daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also tested positive, further raising concerns for the Queen's health.

However, Buckingham Palace has repeatedly refused to confirm whether the Queen tested positive or negative for coronavirus, citing medical privacy and saying last week that she was not displaying any symptoms.

The monarch will have taken daily lateral flow tests over the past seven days, in keeping with current guidelines, and will have been closely monitored by her royal physicians.

It is also not known whether she has self-isolated.

It has been a challenging week for the Queen, despite having just reached her Platinum Jubilee and the royal family, with her second son Andrew facing a multi-million pound payout after settling his case out of court.

Meanwhile, her eldest son Charles is currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police into a cash-for-honours scandal involving his charitable foundation, it was confirmed on Wednesday.

The Queen has held an audience in Windsor with outgoing and incoming Defence Service secretaries.

Beforehand, she would have read this morning's coverage of her son Prince Andrew's settlement with his accuser and been informed of the police probe into Prince Charles' charity.

Prince Andrew and Ms Jouffre, who had launched a lawsuit against the Duke of York in August last year, reached a settlement in principle.

According to documents jointly submitted by Andrew and Ms Jouffre's lawyers in the U.S. direct court, the Duke would make a substantial donation to Ms Jouffre's charity in support of victims' rights.

The papers also briefly mention the terms of the agreement between Andrew and Ms Jouffre, adding the sum he is to fork out won't be disclosed.

However, there are many reports emerging that it could amount to many millions of pounds.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police have launched investigations into allegations linked to Charles' charity, confirmed the officials on Wednesday.

The police have begun cash-for-honours investigations into Charles' charity over claims that close aide Michael Fawcett offered to help Saudi billionaire donor Geta Knighted and UK Citizenship.

Michael Fawcett, who resigned as the foundation's chief executive after serious accusations, allegedly promised to help Geta Knighted and UK Citizenship for a donation to Prince Charles' causes.

He allegedly paid thousands of pounds to fixers with links to the prince, who said they could secure him an honour in return for donations.

Today's engagement by the Queen also was her first in-person audience since she marked the historic 70th anniversary of her accession day on February 6.

It also marked the third royal engagement carried out by the Queen this week, as on Tuesday she held audiences via video links with two incoming foreign ambassadors.

The Sovereign delighted royal watchers with her latest public appearance, with many taking to Twitter to hail her resilience and dedication to her work.

Despite the challenges faced by the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth II remains committed to her duties and responsibilities, as evidenced by her recent engagements.

Her Majesty's resilience and dedication have earned her admiration and respect from people around the world.