Queen hospitalised after cancelling trip at last minute

The Queen has been taken to hospital "as a precaution" where she is being assessed for symptoms of gastroenteritis, Buckingham Palace has said.

A palace spokesperson confirmed the 95-year-old monarch had been taken to King Edward VII Hospital in London by private car.

She spent the evening in hospital and was discharged in "good spirits" the following day.

"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 (Thursday) and remains in good spirits," the palace said.

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All official engagements for this week, including the Queen's trip to Rome, will be either cancelled or postponed.

The overnight stay was her first in a hospital for eight years and came after she had already cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland this week.

The Queen sent her "warmest good wishes to the people of Northern Ireland, and looks forward to visiting in the future," the Palace said in an earlier statement.

Last week the Queen sparked some concerns after she used a walking aid at a service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion.

The last time she was seen using a walking stick was in 2003 and 2004 when she was recovering from a knee operation.

It had already been reported that the Queen is set to cut back on duties for the remainder of the year.

Her courtiers will also ensure she walks less at public engagements and avoids steps and cobbles, as well as making sure her car pulls up closer to venues.

Between the death of her husband Prince Philip, the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew's relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the ongoing fall out from Harry and Meghan's departure from the royal family, there has been a lot for the Queen to deal with.

"The Queen has suffered a lot this year, including the death of her beloved husband," a source told The Sun.

Aides hope she will be at Glasgow’s COP26 climate change summit with world leaders on November 1.

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