Britain's Queen Elizabeth II today missed her annual church visit for Christmas Day due to a heavy cold.
Buckingham Palace said the 90-year-old monarch would stay indoors to help her recover but added that she would still participate in the family's Christmas Day celebrations.
"Her Majesty the Queen will not attend church at Sandringham this morning. The Queen continues to recover from a heavy cold and will stay indoors to assist with her recovery. Her Majesty will participate in the Royal Family Christmas celebrations during the day," a palace statement said.
Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Harry and other royals attended a service at Sandringham, the Queen's Norfolk estate.
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge are celebrating Christmas with the Middleton family in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
The Queen and husband Prince Philip began their Christmas break earlier this week one day late, postponing their trip because they were both suffering from colds.
They flew from Buckingham Palace to the Norfolk estate by helicopter on Thursday, having missed a train on Wednesday.
In her annual televised Christmas Day address, which is recorded in advance to be broadcast every year at 15:00 GMT, the Queen says she draws strength from "ordinary people doing extraordinary things".
For the occasion, the Queen wore a deep jade, silk dress by Angela Kelly, as well as a pearl and diamond brooch previously worn by her late Queen Mother.
"I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special. They are an inspiration to those who know them," the speech read.
In the speech, which will also be broadcast across the Commonwealth, the Queen will congratulate British Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
"Having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others," she said.
In her message the Queen also singled out for special praise ordinary people like volunteers and carers doing "extraordinary things".
She described how Mother Teresa, declared a saint this year by Pope Francis, summed up the contributions of these unsung heroes with the words: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
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