Royals

Queen Elizabeth Makes First Public Appearance of the Year as Prince Philip Continues Recovery at Home

The monarch was all smiles as she marked the Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force

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Updated on March 31, 2021 12:06 PM

The monarch made her first public appearance of the year (and only one of a handful of in-person outings since the COVID-19 pandemic began) on Wednesday to mark the Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force at the CWGC Air Forces Memorial in Surrey, a short drive from Windsor Castle where she is staying with husband Prince Philip, 99.

The Queen, who will celebrate her 95th birthday on April 21, wore a ready-for-spring ensemble, a light green coat, and a matching wide-brimmed hat adorned with yellow flowers. She accessorized with the Australian wattle brooch, representing the national flower of Australia — and of course, her signature gloves and Launer handbag.

Although the Queen did not wear a face mask, the ceremony was socially distanced. The monarch received her COVID-19 vaccination in January.

After a wreath was laid on Queen Elizabeth's behalf, she viewed panels bearing the names of Australian war dead and a display of fallen airmen and women in the memorial cloister. She also met with Royal Australian Air Force personnel and signed a commemorative document.

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Queen Elizabeth has not been seen in public since December, when she joined royal family members on the grounds of Windsor Castle for a Christmas celebration. However, she has continued to work via video calls and remote meetings.

She marked Commonwealth Day earlier this month by giving a speech from Windsor Castle after the annual ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The monarch also dealt with husband Prince Philip's four-week hospitalization from mid-February to mid-March, where he was treated for an infection and underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition. He is said to be "in good spirits," a royal source tells PEOPLE.

His hospitalization coincided with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, and insiders say the Queen would have found some of the days she coped with the ongoing allegations as "lonely" without the man she calls her "strength and stay."