The Queen recoved enough from illness to make her first appearance of 2017 by attending church at Sandringham on Sunday.

The 90-year-old monarch suffered a heavy cold over the Christmas period which stopped her going to church on Christmas Day, the first time she had missed the festive service in nearly 30 years.

Concerns over her health were raised after other members of the royal family attended church on New Year's Day but the Queen was missing again.

But on Sunday morning she arrived at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the service alongside Prince Philip, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Middleton family.

She was driven the short journey from her country home to the local church while other royals walked.

After exchanging a short greeting with the vicar she entered the church to cheers from wellwishers.

Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh cancelled traditional plans to travel by train to their Sandringham estate on 21 December, instead choosing to fly by helicopter the next day.

Prince Philip had recovered enough to make the Christmas service with Prince Charles, Prince Harry and other members of the Royal Family but the Queen remained indoors.

Buckingham Palace said she was "recuperating" after a heavy cold.

Sunday's appearance was the first time the Queen has been seen in public in more than a month.

It is extremely rare for the Queen to take time off from public duties. The last time she missed a public appearance was when she cancelled a trip to Rome four years ago while suffering from gastroenteritis.