Queen Elizabeth’s job duties rolled back after health concerns

In recent months, the Queen has been sitting out important events due to ongoing mobility issues. But now her job has officially been scaled back amid those health concerns.

The monarchy’s annual report, which was released last week, revealed that Queen Elizabeth II’s role as head of state has been tweaked from 13 bulleted points to a less specific description. And the duties the 96-year-old “must fulfill” have also been reduced, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

It’s the first time in more than a decade that there have been formal changes made to her job description. And it’s an acknowledgement of the long-reigning monarch’s health issues.

For months, the Queen, who lost her husband Prince Philip last April, has been sitting out of high-profile events and ceding some commitments to her family. In May, Prince Charles formally opened Britain’s Parliament. It was the first time in nearly 60 years that his mother did not attend the ceremony.

Last month, the Queen also missed the first day of Royal Ascot because of mobility issues, and during her Platinum Jubilee celebration she was absent from a church service due to “discomfort.” She then appeared in the closing parade via hologram. The proud royal also used a cane for an official portrait during the Order of the Garter service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in June.

Last month, royal expert Daniela Elser penned an op-ed for Australian outlet News.com.AU, saying images of the queen greeting New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley in the UK were “nothing short of alarming.”

Elser compared the photos to those taken nearly a year ago.

“The difference is truly startling,” Elser wrote. “In the intervening 12 months, Her Majesty would appear to have become markedly more stooped, much thinner and overall appears to have shrunk.”

However, last week, she visited Scotland for her annual Holyrood week, which celebrates the nation’s culture, in an eye-catching monochromatic lavender ensemble.