Queen spent night in hospital for ‘preliminary investigations’ amid health concerns following busy schedule

The Queen was ordered to rest by doctors earlier this week and advised to miss a trip to Northern Ireland
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The Queen stayed overnight in hospital this week after receiving medical advice to rest, Buckingham Palace has revealed.

The news comes after the 95-year-old monarch was forced to cancel a trip to Northern Ireland to attend a service marking the country’s centenary.

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On Wednesday (20 October), the 95-year-old monarch was taken to central London’s private King Edward VII’s Hospital for “preliminary investigations” by specialists, the palace said.

While the visit was meant to last for a short time, the Queen ended up staying the night for “practical reasons,” according to another source.

How is the Queen?

The Queen’s health was first called into question last week, when she was seen using a walking stick at a service in Westminster Abbey - the first time she had used a stick at a major event.

Despite her overnight stay, the monarch was said to be in “good spirits” by a Buckingham Palace spokesperson.

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She returned to Windsor Castle at lunchtime on Thursday (21 October) and was said to have been back at her desk undertaking light duties by the afternoon.

The hospital visit is understood to be unrelated to coronavirus.

It was the monarch’s first overnight hospital stay in eight years.

She spent a night at the private clinic in 2013 when she was treated for a bout of gastroenteritis - a stomach bug that causes diarrhoea and vomiting.

Why did she go to King Edward VII’s Hospital?

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King Edward VII’s Hospital in Marylebone, London is the royals’ hospital of choice.

The exclusive clinic in central London has been used for years as a first port of call for ailing members of the Royal Family, including the late Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.

It was the place where the Duke of Edinburgh spent almost a month before his death in April this year.

Prince Philip had been admitted a number of times in recent years.

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The duke was treated at the hospital for a short period in 2018 following a planned admission for a pre-existing but undisclosed condition.

The previous year he spent nine days receiving treatment and physio following a hip replacement at the institution.

The Duchess of Cambridge was also treated at the hospital for severe morning sickness when she was pregnant with Prince George.

The Queen is the patron of the institution, which was established in 1899.

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