Prince Charles arrives at Royal Family's Scottish church without Queen amid ongoing health concerns

Prince Charles attended a service at the Royal Family's favorite church in Scotland on Sunday without the Queen, sparking more concerns about the status of the 96-year-old monarch's health. 

• Prince Charles attended a Sunday church service at Balmoral yesterday without the Queen, sparking even more alarm over the monarch's health status. 
• The Prince of Wales drove himself to Crathie Kirk, the Queen's favorite place to worship in Scotland, on Sunday morning. 
• In other royal news, how Meghan and Harry are planning to ‘avoid’ the Cambridges during their UK trip.
  

Prince Charles attended a church service in Scotland on Sunday without the Queen, fueling more concern about the 96-year-old monarch's health status. 

The Prince of Wales made his solo appearance yesterday at Crathie Kirk, the small chapel traditionally favored by the Royal Family during their summer vacation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. 

He was pictured driving himself onto the grounds shortly before the service commenced, wearing a suit and a brooch with purple flowers in his breast pocket. The royal sighting comes one day after the Queen pulled out of the Braemar Gathering, requiring Charles and her only daughter, Princess Anne, to step in on her behalf. 

The Queen has not been seen in public since she arrived at Balmoral on July 21, with royal insiders claiming she is taking it easy due to her ongoing mobility issues. Her Majesty's stay at the Aberdeenshire estate has been notably low-key this year, with her traditional welcome ceremony being closed to the public and replaced by a low-key, private reception. 

She's also been absent at the past three Sunday church services at Craithe Kirk, despite being a devout practicing Christian. Fears the Queen will not return to Buckingham Palace have now been brewing, following news that a special orthopedic bed has been delivered to Balmoral for her 'comfort'. 

The Queen is expected to emerge for her first public appearance on Tuesday, September 6, to receive the incoming British Prime Minister. The audience will be held at Balmoral Castle in a historic first, having previously always taken place at Buckingham Palace in London. The winner of the Tory leadership race, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, will make the 1000-mile round-trip journey to Scotland for the special meeting, which is traditionally called the 'kissing of the hands' ceremony. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also travel up North for the engagement.