A smiling Queen Elizabeth II was pictured watching the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Friday, allaying some fears over health problems that saw her miss the opening of the UK parliament earlier this week for the first time in nearly 60 years.

The 96-year-old monarch was seen arriving at the event, one of the highlights of her year, in the front passenger seat of a Range Rover, wearing a white blouse, blue cardigan and tinted glasses.

She spoke to a group of people through the open car window.

Buckingham Palace said that the monarch was suffering from "episodic mobility problems" when she pulled out of Tuesday's state opening of parliament.

The queen has rarely been seen in public since spending an unscheduled night in hospital last October, and has complained of difficulties standing and walking. She also contracted Covid-19 in February.

She was last seen in public at a memorial service for her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in March.

Her health issues threaten her participation in events over the year to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, marking a record-breaking 70 years on the throne.