After being forced to cancel a recent visit to Northern Ireland in order to rest (as per her doctor's order), the Queen has spent a night in hospital. Her Majesty underwent preliminary medical checks on Wednesday night and was discharged on Thursday, returning to Windsor Castle.
In a statement shared with the press on Thursday night, Buckingham Palace said: "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."
It's reported by the BBC that Her Majesty was back at her desk by Thursday afternoon, but it's likely that she will scale back on her diary for a while in order to permit adequate rest and recovery time.
The Queen, who is 95 years old and gearing up to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next year, attended the same hospital, King Edward VII's Hospital, as her late husband, Prince Philip, did earlier this year. He was later transferred to St Bartholomew's, which has a leading cardiac department, for a "successful procedure" for a pre-existing heart condition. Sadly, the Duke of Edinburgh later passed away in April.
This is the first time the Queen has been in hospital since 2013, when she suffered symptoms of gastroenteritis.
Following her husband's stay at St Bartholomew's, the Queen sent a gesture of thanks to the medical staff who cared for Philip.
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The monarch asked for a bunch of spring flowers to be sent, coinciding with the UK's 'day of reflection' on the one year anniversary of going into lockdown for coronavirus.
"As we look forward to a brighter future together, today we pause to reflect on the grief and loss that continues to be felt by so many people and families, and pay tribute to the immeasurable service of those who have supported us all over the last year," were the Queen's words, shared ITV's Royal Editor Chris Ship on Twitter.
The flowers in the bouquet consisted of iris, tulips, mini daffodils, and ranunculus, it's reported. The perfect way to thank NHS staff for their care of the Duke of Edinburgh, and to mark the grief of so many families who have lost loved ones to the virus.
We're wishing Her Majesty a full and speedy recovery.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
