Queen Elizabeth returns to the castle after hospital visit
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II returned to Windsor Castle on Friday and she was in good spirits after it was revealed that she spent the night in a London hospital earlier this week.
Buckingham Palace said the 95-year-old monarch went to the King Edward VII private hospital in London on Wednesday for "preliminary investigations." She returned to her home at Windsor Castle at lunchtime on Thursday and by afternoon she was already doing light chores.
The queen underwent the tests after canceling a trip scheduled to mark 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland, and the palace said she had "reluctantly" accepted medical advice to rest for a few days. The matter was not related to COVID-19.
The palace does not normally offer details about the monarch's health, citing her privacy. However, in this case the queen's stay in the hospital was confirmed after The Sun newspaper reported the news.
In general, there is a rule of thumb that if a high-ranking member of the royal family undergoes a procedure or operation, there is a medical bulletin, royal expert Robert Hardman told the BBC. But that does not apply to medical examinations.
The attention given in this case simply reflects the great affection that the world community has for the queen, said Hardman, author of "Queen of the World," which chronicles the influence and stature of importance around the world.
"She hates that people make a fuss over her in general, but in particular that she has to do with her health," he told the BBC. “And I think there is a concern about maintaining the dignity of the office, and I know that one of the reasons that nothing was said about yesterday's trip to the hospital was that they suddenly didn't want huge banks of cameras and newscasts staked 24 hours outside the hospital ”.
The monarchy, which is often highly secretive, faces similar struggles as other leaders and celebrities grappling with a voracious appetite for details about their private lives and her health.
By comparison, the Vatican issued daily bulletins about Pope Francis' 10-day stay in hospital in July after a piece of his colon was removed. The Vatican had kept Francis' hospitalization and condition a secret until the pope was admitted and was about to undergo surgery.
But the Vatican has been notoriously secretive about the health of the pontiffs, most significantly when it refused to acknowledge the obvious signs that St. John Paul II was suffering from Parkinson's disease. The Vatican has cited the pope's medical privacy by limiting information flows, but the lack of information often serves to fuel speculation about an eventual papal death and the conclave to choose a successor.
This week there has been some concern about Isabel's health. Just a few days ago, she was seen using a cane at a Westminster Abbey service to mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion, an armed forces charity. Although she had used a cane in 2003, on that occasion she went after knee surgery.
The focus then turned to her hectic schedule, which in recent days included hearings with diplomats, a reception at Windsor Castle for global business leaders and attendance at horse races at Ascot Racecourse.
In less than two weeks, she is scheduled to host world leaders at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, a huge engagement cited as one reason she might want to rest early.
Although Elizabeth has been in good health throughout her life, she is the longest-serving and reigning British monarch. Next year she is to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee: 70 years on the throne.
Elizabeth has reigned since 1952 and was widowed this year when Prince Philip died at the age of 99 in April. She has reduced her workload in recent years, but still maintains a busy schedule of royal duties.
Recently, she turned down the honor of being named "Elder of the Year" by The Oldie magazine. Her office said that "her majesty believes that you are as old as you feel, so she does not believe that she meets the relevant criteria for acceptance."
