On Monday 13 June, the Royal Family released a photo of the Queen holding a walking stick during the Order of the Garter service.
In the photo, Her Majesty, 96, can be seen standing between her son, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles and Camilla wore their traditional grand velvet robes, along with their glistening insignia and plumed hats.
The latest photo of the monarch using a walking aid comes after she was forced to miss a number of events during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, including St Paul's Thanksgiving service (June 3), due to mobility issues.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the Queen had "greatly enjoyed" her birthday parade and flypast in London but "did experience some discomfort".
A spokesperson said at the time: "Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend."
Prior to her Jubilee celebrations she had also pulled out of a number of public events over the last several months, including the Queen’s speech at Parliament – the first time she has done so in almost 60 years.
The reason for her absence at key events is believed to be "episodic mobility problems", as stated in another Palace statement.
The walking stick used by the Queen is believed to be a former favourite of her late husband, Prince Philip.
In February, the Daily Mail reported that she had decided to pay a discreet but touching tribute to her beloved by using the stick.
And in March, actor and royal friend Christopher Biggins told GB News that the Queen had already started using a wheelchair in private.
He told the news channel that she did not want to be seen in the chair because "she’s very proud".
"She’s our greatest ever monarch. It’s so very sad and I hope she is able to make her anniversary celebrations," he added.
But the wheelchair could be about to make its first appearance according to royal expert Jennie Bond, who told OK! in May that the Queen is "embracing the idea of a wheelchair".
"We have to be very careful not to say that the Queen doesn’t want to be seen in a wheelchair, because quite rightly people who are in wheelchairs will be very offended by that," she said.
"I think the Queen will come to embrace the idea of a wheelchair and that will be a huge help to her. She’s embraced her cane now and I think she will take a leaf out of her mother’s book.
She added: "The Queen mother was rather reluctant to be seen to be frail in any way, but eventually they got a little mobility cart, like a golf buggy, and she resisted the idea until they painted it in her racing colours.
"Once they had her racing colours on, she really took to it. She used it at the races, and at public events like her birthday."
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