Queen Elizabeth II all smiles in latest engagement since COVID-19 recovery

Queen Elizabeth II appeared to be in good spirits during an in-person audience at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

The 95-year old beamed as she greeted and shook hands with Guyanese poet Grace Nichols, whom she presented with a Gold Medal for Poetry. She was photographed standing without her cane, which she had been using recently amid reports of her walking problems. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, who chaired the Poetry Medal Committee, was also at the awarding in the Oak Room of the castle.

This is the second in-person engagement for Her Majesty, who met for tea with the new Governor-General of Canada Mary Simon, and her husband Whit Fraser on Tuesday.

"It was a great honour to meet with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II earlier today. Our Queen is such an inspiration in these difficult times, and it was a privilege to share with her the Inuit concept of ajuinnata, which means to never give up, that is guiding my work as governor general," Simon said in a statement published by CTV News.

On Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II held audiences with Mr. Lounès Magramane, Ambassador from the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, and Mr. Ilir Kapiti, Ambassador from the Republic of Kosovo, via video link from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace.

The recent in-person engagements came after Queen Elizabeth II had to pull out of the Commonwealth Day Service at the Westminster Abbey on Monday. It is said that she could no longer bear the long ride from her Berkshire residence to London and the long hours of sitting during the service.

She sent her traditional Commonwealth Day message instead, in which she pledged to continue the vow she made 75 years ago to dedicate her life to public work. She also asked Prince Charles to lead the ceremony on her behalf.

The in-person meetings also came after Queen Elizabeth II recovered from COVID-19, wherein she only experienced mild cold-like symptoms. Despite the recovery, she has been told to pace herself and choose her engagements wisely so she still has the energy to attend Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey on March 29.