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Queen Elizabeth was taken to the hospital this week. The 95-year-old monarch spent Wednesday night at the King Edward VII’s Hospital in London. Buckingham Palace released a statement (via BBC) on Thursday saying: “Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today, and remains in good spirits.”
A source with Buckingham Palace told CNN that Her Majesty’s hospital visit was “not initially announced because it was going to be a short stay, and noted that the Queen is entitled to medical privacy.” The source added that the Queen’s stay at the hospital was for practical reasons.
On Wednesday it was announced that the monarch was canceling her trip to Northern Ireland after being advised to rest. “The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days,” the palace said in a statement. “Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow.”
In August, the Queen turned down the Oldie of the Year award because she did not believe that she met the “relevant criteria to be able to accept” it. Responding to Gyles Brandreth, chairman of the awards, the royal’s assistant private secretary Tom Laing-Baker wrote: “Her Majesty believes you are as old as you feel, as such The Queen does not believe she meets the relevant criteria to be able to accept, and hopes you will find a more worthy recipient.”
The royal, who acceded to the throne in 1952, is the longest-reigning monarch, and will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee next year.