QUEEN'S VISIT TO CANADA WILL NOT INCLUDE SEEING TATTOO

THE QUEEN HAS CANCELED AN APPEARANCE AT THE NOVA SCOTIA MILITARY TATTOO AFTER ORGANIZERS IN CANADA SUGGESTED SHE WOULD BE TOO OLD TO MANAGE A STAIRCASE AT THE EVENT VENUE. THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH HAD BEEN DUE TO ATTEND THE TATTOO, THE WORLD'S LARGEST INDOOR GATHERING OF ITS KIND, IN HALIFAX IN JULY AS PART OF AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO CANADA. BUT THE PLAN REPORTEDLY FELL APART AFTER ORGANIZERS DEEMED THE ARENA'S 17 STEPS TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE ELDERLY ROYAL COUPLE. THE OFFENDING LEAD UP TO THE 12ft HIGH STAGE WHERE, IT WAS SUGGESTED, THE QUEEN SHOULD ADDRESS THE TATTOO, THE TIMES REPORTS. IN A REPORT ON THE EVENT, ORGANIZERS SAID THE STEPS 'WERE TOO RISKY' FOR THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE. THE PALACE RETORTED THAT THE PAIR WAS PERFECTLY FIT AND THAT THE QUEEN REGULARLY CLIMBED THE 47 STEPS OF THE GRAND STAIRCASE AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. IF SHE COULD NOT ADDRESS THE TATTOO FROM THE PLATFORM THEN SHE WOULD NOT BE APPEARING AR ALL, IT SAID. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE ISSUE, SAYING THAT IT HAS YET TO PUBLISH DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S VISIT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE CONFIRMED THAT THE TATTOO WAS NOT ON HER ITINERARY OF SCHEDULED EVENTS. 'MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS ARE INITIALLY CONSIDERED FOR AN OVERSEAS VISIT, BUT THE TATTOO IS NOT IN THE QUEEN'S PROGRAM', A SPOKESPERSON SAID.