heard from similar sentiments we've heard from the first minister of wales, mark drakeford, and also we've heard from northern ireland, from sirjeffrey donaldson, who said, my thoughts and prayers and that of the democratic unionist party are with her majesty and herfamily at unionist party are with her majesty and her family at this time and very similar sentiments from the prime minister, liz truss, from the leader of the opposition, sir keir starmer, all of whom sharing that concern, expressing that concern, and expressing that concern, and expressing their wish, their hope, for a recovery of the queen and their best wishes and thoughts with her family as well. find their best wishes and thoughts with her family as well.— her family as well. and you are at buckingham _ her family as well. and you are at buckingham palace. _ her family as well. and you are at buckingham palace. of— her family as well. and you are at buckingham palace. of course - buckingham palace. of course normally earlier this week the queen would have been at buckingham palace to ask the new incoming prime minister to form a government and in fact she did that at balmoral and there is the picture of her with liz truss appointing her as her 15th prime minister. i think it was the

first prime minister to be appointed at balmoral since 1885. a departure with what had happened on every other occasion that the queen has invited someone to form a government, the new prime minister. on this occasion, because she was on holiday in balmoral, and there were concerned we were told for her mobility, in order to take that into notice, what was asked was the political leaders travelled there rather than her making the journey back to buckingham palace as she would have done previously. boris johnson flew up early in the morning. after delivering his farewell speech, morning. after delivering his farewellspeech, he morning. after delivering his farewell speech, he tendered his resignation. liz truss who on monday had been confirmed as the winner of the election for new conservative

leader was invited in for an audience and photo we all saw, and was asked by the queen, invited to form a new government. those special arrangements were in place this week. liz truss became the 15th prime minister under the clean and has set about the business of forming her government and today laying out what she now seeks to do about the issues facing the country. the energy crisis in particular. it was as she was doing that that news from buckingham palace about the queen's health came through to the political leaders in parliament. damian grammaticas, our correspondence at buckingham palace, with the latest. we can hear from robert hardman.

the palace don't normally issue bulletins on the queen's health unless it is significant. the last time this happened was to let us know she had been diagnosed with covid. the view is if she is not undergoing some hospital procedure then these are private matters. buckingham palace has seen fit to put out a statement. there are grounds for concern. the fact she is comfortable, and at balmoral, she is very much more relaxed there than anywhere else. all our thoughts will be with her at this time.

liz truss has said the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from buckingham palace this lunchtime. she has added, my thoughts and the thoughts of people across the uk are with her majesty the queen and herfamily across the uk are with her majesty the queen and her family at this time. she has pulled away from the public eye because of those concerns around her mobility but nonetheless she has been central this week to what has been happening in terms of politics and the new prime minister and the ceremony of that happening at balmoral because of the concerns around her health. yes. this week we were reminded of her central role at the apex of our constitutional system. it is the queen who appoints prime ministers. she was keen and determined to undertake that particular duty. obviously in recent months we have

seen the prince of wales taking on more of her regular duties. we saw him standing in at the state opening of parliament, representing her at the commonwealth day observation. he has frequently taken her place at the cenotaph for remembrance sunday. but that central role of appointing the prime minister which goes to the heart of our monarchy, she was determined to do that. it was a demanding day. it is notjust a case of a handshake and photo. you have to say goodbye to one prime minister, welcome another. cameras in and out. it was a big day. clearly it has left her weary. there will be speculation but i think the key things are that she is

comfortable and is where she is happiest. robert hardman there. if you are justjoining us, let us bring you that statement from buckingham palace. it simply says, after further evaluation this morning, the queen's doctors are concerned for her majesty as �*s health and recommended she remain under medical supervision. it also says the queen remains comfortable and she is at balmoral. prince charles is there with her. we gather that the duke of cambridge is also travelling to balmoral to be with the queen as well. we can speak now to anna whitelock. the queen has made history with the extraordinary longevity of her

reign. it is remarkable, longer than 70 years. she hasjust sworn in her 15th prime minister, the first being winston churchill. she spans the second half of the 20th century. she has become so part of british identity and whether people are supporters of the monarchy or not, this kind of news rocks people because she is in many ways a rock, she has always been around, most people haven't lived a life where she hasn't been cleaned. today with people around me there is a sense of, oh, gosh, that is going to be odd. that sums up the kind of influence and impact she has beyond a very important role we saw her play swearing in liz truss as prime minister the other day.

thatin minister the other day. that in itself was extraordinary because it was her 15th prime minister. and she smiled that unique smile of hers. the first prime minister was winston churchill. winston churchill was the first. that was the first time she had sworn in a new prime minister at balmoral. that adjustment had been made because of the mobility issues which we have known have effected the queen for a long time. she pulled out of the privy council meeting. the queen, it is business as usual, she would have been determined to be there to see the end of the period of borisjohnson and swear in liz truss, she didn't want to get that job and swear in liz truss, she didn't want to get thatjob to prince charles, she wanted to do it. but these are clearly i think very

serious times. buckingham palace again, they don't release news unless they had to. they always try to give as little away. the fact they have said what they have says quite a lot and i think therefore we are looking now at a sense of decline in the queen'shealth which would suggest perhaps the end is not too long away which is a remarkable thing just to say really, having commented on the queen for such a long time. it is such an event potentially closer than some of us might have liked. and we are now thinking about the end and a life beyond and life after, and of course people will be hoping the queen gets better but she is a woman who is very elderly and who has had health issues. i think the statement really points to how serious this now is.

just to underline that. we have just heard the princess royal is now at balmoral, and the duke of york and the earl and countess of wessex are also on their way to balmoral. we already knew prince charles was there with the queen, and the duke of cambridge we were told by kensington palace was on his way. obviously senior members of the royalfamily now obviously senior members of the royal family now gathering at balmoral. this is the family coming together. she is of course a mother, grandmother, and herfamily are gathering around her. she is at balmoral, a place she loved, her and prince philip loved, and she will be surrounded by herfamily prince philip loved, and she will be surrounded by her family which will be very important to anybody. in that we can be grateful that the queen will not be alone. we are not in lockdown any more. it underscores

there is a sense of inevitability. at least at balmoral, it is slightly away from the glare of the media, they are able to be a little more distant. if the queen was at buckingham palace, the comings and goings would be in full public glare. forthe goings would be in full public glare. for the queen, goings would be in full public glare. forthe queen, i goings would be in full public glare. for the queen, i think she would probably want to be with her family at balmoral. just the fact we have had this statement, it is such a rarity, a statement, it is such a rarity, a statement from buckingham palace like this. there have been periodic medical bulletins about her mobility issues, we have got used to those when she has cancelled engagements. this statement is very different. yes, this is a very significant statement. it is clear, the fact

that doctors are concerned. she has stayed under medical supervision. and the announcement the family are on their way says a lot. the premise has people's thoughts are with her majesty and the family —— the prime minister has said people's thoughts. we saw the cheerful smiling pictures of the queenjust we saw the cheerful smiling pictures of the queen just the other day in balmoral with liz truss, looking happy, looking very old, really, but with a glint in her eye. poignant times i think, and as we wait now, there is a sense of inevitability

and the question of when this great change might come and when the announcement might be made. anna whitelock. thank you for your time. i am joined by our royal correspondent. you have followed the royal family for so many years, what are your thoughts after hearing this medical bulletin from buckingham palace? this is clearly a very significant moment for all the reasons we have been saying. the fact buckingham palace which does not usually comment on the state of her health or progression of her well—being, the fact it is saying doctors are concerned. though they say she remains comfortable at balmoral. the fact the immediate family members are gathering at balmoral, prince charles who is staying on the balmoral estate, he has been regularly seeing his mother whilst

there. and the fact prince william is flying up to balmoral from the south. all in all, this is a very sombre moment. as politicians are saying, there is profound concern. nicola sturgeon used that phrase. that is absolutely right. and other politicians echoing that sentiment. hoping for the best but let us be candid, braced for the worst. there has been a gradual deterioration in her health from everything we can glean and observe. the big change happened last october, the day she cancelled her trip to northern ireland and was brought into hospital and stayed overnight. that was the moment it became apparent there was something going on that we had not been aware of. we know there

have been subsequent hospital visits, they had been as outpatients, brief hospital visits. hugh pym put his finger on it, although there is this ability issue and we can speculate, the key question is whether there is any underlying condition that has not been admitted to. clearly we've now reached a point where the royal doctors feel it's necessary to say they are concerned and that sense, i think, a very clear signal to the country, to everyone, really, that we are in a developing situation and i think everyone can and must draw their own

conclusions from the facts as we know them, the images we've seen, the fact she was unable to get to some of the key events in the jubilee, the fact she couldn't come to london to appoint the prime minister, the fact that the privy council, virtual privy council meeting last night, had to be postponed, and now, this morning, we learned that doctors are now concerned and that she is under treatment. i think there is no question of her being taken to hospital. i would have imagined they will have made all the necessary arrangements at balmoral to be able to treat her and one would imagine thatis to treat her and one would imagine that is what is happening now. hick. that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with — that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with us. _ that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with us, i _ that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with us, i want _ that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with us, i want to _ that is what is happening now. nick, do stay with us, i want to cross to helen wilkinson, who is our correspondent at windsor with the latest from there. yes, well, as we know, the queen made windsor castle her home pretty much since lockdown began but she of course is at balmoral as we've been

hearing, where she traditionally spent the summer months. she does tend to come back to windsor castle in october but clearly huge concern about the news from the palace that we had in the last couple of hours orso we had in the last couple of hours or so and for viewers who are just joining us it's probably worth reading that statement from buckingham palace again. that statement from the palace as i say, in the last few hours, says that following further evaluation this morning, the queen's doctors are concerned for her majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. the statement goes on from the palace to say that the queen is comfortable at the moment and the bbc understands that the queen's children are either at balmoral with the queen or are travelling to see her. we know of course from previous experience that buckingham palace do not give a running commentary in terms of the

queen's health. they very much regard her health is a very private matter but clearly there is a huge amount of concern now, given that they have released that statement. and we've had a whole series of messages from senior political leaders, the prime minister, the leaders, the prime minister, the leader of the opposition and the archbishop of canterbury, all saying pretty much the same thing, that their hopes and prayers and their thoughts are very much with the queen at the moment.— thoughts are very much with the queen at the moment. yes, very much so, first and — queen at the moment. yes, very much so, first and foremost _ queen at the moment. yes, very much so, first and foremost of _ queen at the moment. yes, very much so, first and foremost of course - so, first and foremost of course thoughts are with the queen and her family, the immediate family we understand were told as soon as we had that statement from the palace, it's understood her immediate family were told straightaway as to how the queen was. but, as you say, we have had statements from the prime minister liz truss. she has said the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news. liz truss

goes on to say that she says her thoughts and those with everyone in the uk are with the queen and her family. we have also heard from the labour leader keir starmer, who has reacted to the news from the palace about the queen's health. keir starmer has said that he is deeply worried and joins everyone in hoping for the queen's recovery. and as you just mentioned as well, ben, the archbishop of canterbury has said that he was sending his prayers and the first ministers scotland and wales also joined well—wishers in sending their thoughts. as i say, for the palace to issue such a statement and for doctors to say that they are concerned about the health of the queen, she now remains at balmoral. she is said to be in a comfortable condition, position at balmoral, but she will be kept under

close supervision by doctors there. we know on tuesday, of course, that the queen said goodbye to the outgoing prime minister, boris johnson, and she welcomed the new prime minister, liz truss, on tuesday. that would have been no doubt a pretty exhausting day for the queen and was since september october time that we've seen her majesties scale back from her duties. we seem over the last month since september time prince charles, prince william, taking on some of the roles that the queen would traditionally take on and we know that she is somebody who puts duty first and foremost, but clearly over the last months her health has got worse. we've heard from the palace since september that she's had these episodic mobility issues and that was causing her problems, and that

led to a number of cancelled events, but we did see her, of course, at herjubilee celebrations, outside buckingham palace. she attended the royal windsor horse show and she also made an appearance at the chelsea flower show as well. what we don't know at this stage, ben, is exactly what is going on in terms of her health. all we are told by the palace is that the queen is under medical supervision and i think that does create a sense of anxiety, concern, and given the fact that we are hearing that members of her immediate family are either as i say at balmoral, or travelling to balmoral, in scotland, where the queen is, that will no doubt be concerning for her family but also for the country as well.— for the country as well. helena, thank you _ for the country as well. helena, thank you very _ for the country as well. helena, thank you very much, _ for the country as well. helena, thank you very much, helen - for the country as well. helena, - thank you very much, helen wilkinson for us at windsor. and more continuing coverage here now and bbc news from my colleague huw edwards.

bent, many thanks, you arejoining us on bbc news, this is our special coverage reflecting the anxiety and concern today for the well—being of her majesty the queen who is in residence at belmore castle in aberdeenshire —— balmoral castle in aberdeenshire —— balmoral castle in aberdeenshire following a formal statement from the medical team saying they are concerned for the queen's health. we know that yesterday she was due to hold a virtual meeting with some of the new ministers, senior ministers, members of the privy council. that was delayed because doctors had advised her majesty to take a period of rest, though we know of course a few days before she did actually manage to have an audience and to give an audience to the new prime minister, liz truss. so, we are staying on air to report these concerns and, of course, to try to gather more on the

reports that have been coming in, to try to reflect on what they might mean and indeed to ask some very sensitive and respectful questions about the state of the queen's health, and i were royalforehead were —— our royal correspondent nicholas witchell it with me. for the benefit of lots of people who are joining the benefit of lots of people who arejoining us, just getting to grips with the news that's coming on, let's start with how unusual it is for the medical team to express a concern like this.— concern like this. absolutely, and that, ithink. — concern like this. absolutely, and that, ithink, says— concern like this. absolutely, and that, ithink, says it _ concern like this. absolutely, and that, i think, says it all, - concern like this. absolutely, and that, ithink, says it all, huw, - that, i think, says it all, huw, really. since october, when things changed, since then there has been a gradual deterioration in her health. buckingham palace has said as little as possible will stop they regard this essentially is a private matter. they will not engage. they say no running commentary on the state of the queen's health, so the fact that this morning the doctors felt it necessary to make public the fact that they were concerned for

her health, now, that is really the first time that that has been said. if we go back to october, to end this change happened and that trip to northern ireland had to be cancelled at very short notice, i think what happened then was that there was a fall, probably, at windsor castle. she was brought in to king edward vii hospital, she stayed there overnight. you will recall that buckingham palace rather unwisely tried to keep it secret and we were told there were a preliminary investigation is taking place but we may never told in to what and ever since then the only reason for the health concern has been this episodic mobility issues. well, now, you know, there are all sorts of possibilities as to what that might be. i suspect it's probably been gout, which can be very, very painful and which can be very, very painful and which can be very debilitating to somebody, but the key question is whether there has also been some underlying condition, some serious life—threatening condition. now, as i was saying a moment ago, we know

that they have been subsequent visits to hospital. they've been briefed, they've been as and out patient, they've lasted about an hour or so. they have been all sorts of rumours. somebody very senior at buckingham palace are said to me not so long ago, well, don't believe all the rumours. so in the absence of anything that has been confirmed, in the absence of anything that we, the bbc, would have been able to say with certainty, it has been impossible to give any sort of impression as to where this is all going, but certainly it has been my impression, as i said on the news just a couple of days ago, that there had been no sharp, significant change in her condition in recent weeks. i think it's been a gradual deterioration. after all, she is, as we know, a lady of 96, and what 96—year—old does not experience health concerns? but the fact that the doctors have this morning felt it necessary to say what they have and the fact, more pointedly, more

significantly perhaps, that family members are travelling to balmoral, now, you know, we can all draw our own conclusions from that and it is not really for us to try to speculate or to draw out what may be happening. it is pretty self—evident, the fact that prince william is breaking his programme and flying up to be with his grandmother, the fact that other members of the family are also travelling there, we understand, we don't know about the sussexes, whether they might be going up there. , ., , , ., , there. there is a suggestion, 'ust in the last — there. there is a suggestion, 'ust in the last couple i there. there is a suggestion, 'ust in the last couple offi there. there is a suggestion, just in the last couple of seconds, - there. there is a suggestion, just| in the last couple of seconds, that they may also be on their way. right, well, that again adds to the sombre nurse, the solemnity of this moment, but we should not rule out the fact that according to the statement she remains comfortable at balmoral and they would all be hoping that she will be able to rally from this and recover, but, well, i think the facts speak for

themselves and as nicola sturgeon said, there is profound concern, we hope for the best but i think we are now at the stage where we must prepare for the worst. we now at the stage where we must prepare for the worst.— prepare for the worst. we are lookin: prepare for the worst. we are looking at _ prepare for the worst. we are looking at some _ prepare for the worst. we are looking at some of _ prepare for the worst. we are looking at some of the - prepare for the worst. we are | looking at some of the scenes prepare for the worst. we are i looking at some of the scenes at aberdeen airport where more small jets have been arriving and, as you say, that's reflecting the fact that most members of the family are making their way there. as soon as they can, really, that's the only conclusion one can draw and aberdeen airport is not that far away from the estate, is it? its airport is not that far away from the estate, is it?— airport is not that far away from the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a aood the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part _ the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part of— the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part of an _ the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part of an hour's _ the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part of an hour's drive, - the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a good part of an hour's drive, as| the estate, is it? its 45 miles, a i good part of an hour's drive, as the outgoing and incoming prime ministers discovered just two days ago. how ironic that photograph perhaps is the most recent photograph that we have of her kissing hand, to use the expression, with liz truss, but yes, they will be making thatjourney, the weather doesn't look terrible outside balmoral but will be wanting to get

there as quickly as they can given there as quickly as they can given the overall circumstances because clearly there is a need now for some i would imagine urgency for the family to gather and to take stock of what is happening, to speak to the doctors and to assess for themselves what the situation is. just being told that as we mentioned just a few seconds ago, nick, that the duke and duchess of sussex have arrived. i'm taking that is at aberdeen airport so they will be on their way. aberdeen airport so they will be on theirway. i aberdeen airport so they will be on their wa . ., aberdeen airport so they will be on their wa . . ., �*, their way. i imagine so and it's very fortunate _ their way. i imagine so and it's very fortunate for _ their way. i imagine so and it's very fortunate for them - their way. i imagine so and it's very fortunate for them that i their way. i imagine so and it's i very fortunate for them that they happen to be in this countryjust at the moment, they are not in california, on a brief visit to the united kingdom and germany and just thinking about the photograph of the queen with liz truss, many people have commented on the bruising on the queen's right hand and various reasons have been advanced for that. one of them, of course, is the possibility that there had been a cannula inserted into the hand for some sort of treatment because it was quite noticeable and quite marked, and i think, as most people

would agree, she looked quite frail, but as we know, as determined to carry out her constitutional duty and receive the resignation of boris johnson and a or invite liz truss to form a government but that was the most recent fight of her but of course the news last night that the meeting of the privy council had been cancelled, at which new ministers would normally have been sworn in, quite what happens in those that is the question of the overall concern that there is now for the health of her majesty the queen. let's just pause for a second from our chat with nicholas witchell as we just follow the reports coming in from balmoral. the time is

approaching 2pm. it is a time of reflecting on the queen's health and of sharing the concern of so many people about the queen's well—being at this stage. so it is 2pm here on bbc news and we are continuing our special coverage. buckingham palace has said the queen is under medical supervision at balmoral castle in aberdeenshire — after doctors became concerned for her health. a palace statement added that the 96—year—old monarch "remains comfortable". that was the wording used. the bbc understands that all her children are either at balmoral, or are travelling to balmoral. the queen's very cherished