Palace says queen, 95, spent night in hospital

Buckingham Palace said Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II spent a night in a hospital for checks after being advised by her doctor this week to rest.

The palace said the 95-year-old British monarch went to the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on Wednesday for “preliminary investigations.” It said she returned to her Windsor Castle home at lunchtime on Thursday, “and remains in good spirits.”

On Wednesday, the queen canceled a scheduled trip to Northern Ireland, and the palace said she had “reluctantly” accepted medical advice to rest for a few days. It did not elaborate.

The queen is now at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she has spent much of her time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The decision to cancel this week’s trip was understood to not be COVID related.