The Queen may miss the traditional New Year’s Day church service at Sandringham due to illness.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said she was unable to confirm whether the monarch would be attending the annual service and that she was continuing to recover from a cold.

She told The Independent: “The Queen is continuing to recover from her heavy cold and I won’t be able to update on her health until the morning.”

The monarch has not been seen in public for 11 days, after it was announced she and Prince Philip were suffering from heavy colds. The Queen's ill health has caused her to alter a number of her seasonal plans.

She and Prince Philip were delayed in arriving at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where they traditionally spend their Christmas break.