Queen Elizabeth II plans to lead a royal entourage to Malta in late November for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
Buckingham Palace officials said today she will have a full schedule of meetings and events, including a state visit to Malta.
She will be joined by her husband, Prince Philip, her son Prince Charles and Charles' wife Camilla. The three-day trip begins November 26.
Charles represented the queen two years ago at the Commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka but the 89-year-old queen has decided to travel to Malta, a Mediterranean island much closer to home. It will be her sixth visit to Malta as queen.
Palace officials say the queen will no longer make long haul trips because of her advancing years.
During the state visit portion of their trip, the queen and Philip plan to visit the Malta Racing Club and the Malta Polo Club, where Philip played polo when he served in Malta as a Royal Navy officer.
They spent time on Malta together in the early 1950s before Elizabeth became queen and also celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on the island.
The Commonwealth includes 53 nations around the world, many of them former British territories.
