Lord Prescott has suggested the Queen may be "overburdening" herself and should consider abdicating.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, the former Labour deputy PM recounted a conversation he had had with a friend who raised the issue.
Prescott writes: "His concern was that the Queen, who is 87 next month, is overburdening herself.
"He felt she had done a remarkable job over her 60 years on the throne but was increasingly concerned at recent cancellations of public duties because of her ongoing ill health.
"Even her doctors seem baffled by her illness, with the Queen reportedly telling Kamalesh Sharma, the Commonwealth Secretary General: “They’re not sure what’s the matter with me.”"
Prescott is keen to point out the comments are based purely on concern saying the Queen deserves "enjoying a long and fulfilling retirement".