THE QUEEN is having to use a walking stick after straining a ligament in one of her knees.

The Queen sustained the injury during a private visit to Newmarket on Friday and has had to use a stick occasionally since then.

When she visited church in Sandringham on Sunday she broke with tradition and instead of walking through the front door of the church her car took her to the back door.

Once the service had finished the Queen was driven out of the grounds but the car stopped and she received flowers from wellwishers through the open window of the vehicle.

Buckingham Palace said last night that the Queen was making a quick recovery.

A spokeswoman said: “We do not have any details of how she suffered the injury as it is regarded as a private matter.”

She said that all the Queen’s official commitments were going ahead as planned and she would attend a church service at Sandringham on Christmas Day with her family as expected.

Christmas with the Royal Family is a traditional affair, though there are a few surprises when it comes to unwrapping the presents. Contrary to popular belief, the Royal Family do not believe in spending a fortune on Yuletide gifts.

In fact, with the exception of presents for the children, the cheaper the better.

Who would believe that the Queen could eagerly unwrap a Christmas present, discover a washing-up apron and declare: “It is just what we wanted.”

On another occasion, she was happy to receive a casserole dish.

Probably because she already possesses many things of great value and beauty, the Queen prefers practical gifts.

Younger members of the Royal Family, however, are the exception, with each receiving an oversized Christmas stocking.

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