Video report by ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner

The Queen has made her first public appearance after missing church services over Christmas and the New Year due to a lingering heavy cold.

Both she and the Duke of Edinburgh fell ill days before Christmas, and the Queen had not been seen in the public eye since.

Wearing royal blue, the monarch arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church, close to her Sandringham estate accompanied by Prince Philip, on Sunday.

They had been forced to delay their journey from Buckingham Palace to their Norfolk estate in the days before Christmas after she fell ill.

The Queen was greeted by a small crowd of people as she was driven the short distance to the church in a burgundy Bentley.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also attended the service but there was no sign of Prince George or Princess Charlotte.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leaving the church service. Credit: PA

Although the Queen has missed the church services, and has not been in seen in public for several weeks she has carried out other duties.

She presented Ray Wheaton, her Page of the Chambers, with the insignia of a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, the court circular recorded.