She stands for Great Britain like no other: Queen Elizabeth II, head of the House of Windsor since 1952.
At a memorial service, the 95-year-old queen surprised with an unfamiliar accessory.
London - For many years, the clothes of Queen Elizabeth II can be summed up in a few words: The British head of state always wears a distinctive hat and a brooch to match her costume when making public appearances.
Despite her old age, the 95-year-old queen mostly did without a walking aid - until yesterday's appearance.
Queen Elizabeth II: Unfamiliar pictures from Westminister Abbey
The memorial service in the famous Westminister Abbey is making headlines in the UK.
For the first time in around 17 years, the tireless queen appeared in central London with a stick as a walking aid.
Accompanied by her daughter, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II did not enter the church as usual through the main portal but through a small side entrance, which was closer to her place.
As reported by numerous British media outlets, it is the first time that the Queen has used a stick for non-medical reasons.
In general, the measures were not taken out of caution, instead the focus is only on the comfort of the 95-year-old head of state, said the
PA
news agency
.
The royal family and Buckingham Palace did not comment on the speculation.
At the top of the UK for almost 70 years
Queen Elizabeth II was last photographed with a walking stick in 2004, when she was recovering from knee surgery.
Since then, the monarch had refrained from receiving such help.
Throughout her life, the British Queen has been characterized by her robust health.
Her last visit to the hospital was over eight years ago, in 2013 she was treated for a gastrointestinal virus.
The 95-year-old has been at the head of the British monarchy for almost 70 years and continues to take on many tasks herself. Her husband, Prince Philip, died a few weeks before his birthday in April this year.
Her son Prince Charles (72) and her grandson Prince William (39) are available as potential successors to the British throne.
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