The Queen will miss the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for the first time since 1973.
The Prince of Wales will attend the event on her behalf in Sri Lanka later this year, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
It is unclear why the Queen, who is the head of the Commonwealth, has chosen not to attend, but many will see the decision as part of a move to transfer some responsibilities to her heir.
The monarch was admitted to hospital earlier this year suffering from the symptoms of gastroenteritis, but it is not known whether this decision has been made on health grounds.
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Source: Sky News
By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent
