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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has had to change her programme of engagements because of back pain, an official spokeswoman said Wednesday.
She will not now be attending a planned investiture Thursday and will be present at other events for a shorter period than previously planned, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.
"Due to continuing discomfort in her back, the Queen's programme of engagements for the rest of the week has been amended," she told AFP.
Her daughter, the Princess Royal, will carry out the investiture for her and the Queen will curtail her appearance at a later reception Thursday.
On Friday, she will visit West Sussex, although her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, will carry out one of her afternoon engagements, the palace said.
The 80-year-old monarch, who came to the throne in 1952, was forced to pull out of engagements in October including the opening of Arsenal Football Club's new stadium in London because of her back trouble.
Her workload has been reduced in recent years, although she still carried out 378 engagements last year.
Aides have insisted she is not withdrawing from public life, just taking on a schedule more suited to someone of her age.
Last month, the Queen carried out her first visit to the Baltic states, visiting Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in four and a half days.
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AFP 011901 GMT 11 06
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