Queen Camilla bravely battles on with royal duties after agonising health battle

Queen Camilla has joined French first lady Brigitte Macron to present a literary prize promoting literature from all corners of the UK and France - just a day after she revealed she has been suffering from post-viral fatigue after having pneumonia

Queen Camilla has bravely soldiered on with royal duties after giving an update on her health following her withdrawal from several engagements.

Today, she joined forces with French First Lady Brigitte Macron to present a prize promoting literature from all corners of the UK and France. At the event in London, the two women celebrated the Entente Littéraire, which they officially launched during King Charles and Camilla's state visit to France last year.

Camilla's appearance comes just hours after she attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace last night in a deep red velvet evening gown and towering Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara, despite shaking off the effects of post-viral fatigue following a bout with pneumonia.

Yesterday, she missed the outdoor elements of the Qatari state visit to the UK after being urged by her doctors to take more time to recover. The Queen was not taken to hospital, but is now facing bouts of extreme tiredness. It is understood Camilla’s condition was viral, not bacterial, and she no longer has pneumonia.

At the state banquet, she posed for a group photo with the King, the Emir of Qatar and his wife in the archway of the White Drawing Room before the banquet. But instead of joining a reception in the Music Room before the banquet, she briefly retired for 30 minutes to take a short break, before joining the royal procession into the Ballroom, where she was seated next to the King.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "The Queen has been suffering from a viral infection which has been diagnosed as pneumonia. Her Majesty has not required hospital treatment but is experiencing lingering side effects, chiefly suffering extreme bouts of tiredness which has meant the need for greater flex in her working diary.

"Her symptoms have been persistent for a number of weeks but fortunately she is well enough to attend several engagements for the Qatari state visit and looks forward to returning to a full schedule as soon as possible."

The Queen's infection had forced her to pull out of previous events, most noticeably earlier in November, when she missed out on several events commemorating Remembrance Day. She pulled out of the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance and the traditional Cenotaph wreath laying, which King Charles and other UK dignitaries attended.

Camilla also pulled out of the Royal Variety Performance last week, with Buckingham Palace having released a statement touching on her lingering symptoms. No major changes are expected to her diary for the rest of the week, but the Queen has been advised by her medical team to take each day as it comes.

A royal source said: "Some days the Queen is on really good form. It’s just one of those things. She has lost the coughing but the lingering side of it is bouts of extreme tiredness. There has to be a degree of flex in the Queen's diary at the moment."