Queen to spend a 'few weeks' at Sandringham after flying in from Windsor Castle

The Queen has flown to Sandringham, where it is understood she will spend the next few weeks.

The monarch normally hosts her family at Sandringham over the Christmas holidays, with the royals attending church together on December 25.

However, the Queen, 95, took the decision earlier in December to remain at Windsor Castle as a precautionary measure following rising Covid-19 cases at the time.

On February 6, the Queen’s reign will pass the historic milestone of 70 years and herald the start of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The head of state’s winter break normally ends some time after accession day, February 6 – the day her father George VI died in 1952.

The festive period was the Queen’s first Christmas without the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of more than 73 years, who died on April 9 last year.

She has spent much of this year at Windsor Castle, where she and Philip had shielded throughout the lockdowns.

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There were concerns for the Queen's health during autumn last year after she pulled out of a number of major engagements, spent a night in hospital and was ordered to rest by royal doctors.

The Queen was advised to carrying out light duties but also sprained her back,leading to her missing the Remembrance Sunday service.

Last week, Number 10 was forced to apologise to the Queen over the ongoing Downing Street party row.

Number 10 staff held a party, at which the Prime Minister was not present, on the day before Prince Philip's funeral during a national period of mourning.

Images of Her Majesty sitting alone during a service at Windsor as she grieved the Duke of Edinburgh's death beamed around the world, in a snapshot of the strict Covid rules on gatherings at a time.

An inquiry into Downing Street parties, including gatherings Boris Johnson admitted attending but described as a 'work event', have been launched by top civil servant Sue Gray.