Queen Elizabeth II, 86, was admitted to a London hospitalized over the weekend for treatment of a stomach ailment.
Her official website released this statement: “The Queen is being assessed at the King Edward VII Hospital, London, after experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis. As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled.”
A two-day trip to Rome will be “reinstated” at a later date, according to a palace spokesperson.
Britain’s monarch first experienced symptoms late last week and was forced to cancel a planned appearance at a military parade in the Welsh city of Swansea on Friday.
As a precaution and to guard against dehydration, the Queen was taken by personal car on Sunday to the the same hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, spent several days for acute morning sickness several months ago.
The two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults are food poisoning and the norovirus, a common winter vomiting bug.
Queen Elizabeth II has reigned since 1952 and has been in very good health. She was last hospitalized a decade ago for surgery to repair damaged cartilage in her knee.
UPDATE 3:30 p.m. London Time: According to a new official royal website update: “The Queen has left the King Edward VII’s Hospital having been admitted briefly as part of the assessment of symptoms of gastroenteritis.”
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