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The Queen will decide on Sunday whether she feels well enough to attend the New Year's Day church service at Sandringham, the BBC understands.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen is still recovering from a heavy cold."

Her Majesty missed the Christmas Day service at her Norfolk estate because she was unwell.

The Duke of Edinburgh attended church, but the palace said the Queen stayed indoors "to assist with her recovery".

The Queen and Prince Philip began their Christmas break a day late, postponing their trip to Norfolk because they were both suffering from colds.

They flew from Buckingham Palace to the Norfolk estate by helicopter on 22 December, having missed a planned journey by train a day earlier.