Queen Elizabeth leaves the King Edward VII hospital in
London, a day after being admitted with symptoms of
gastroenteritis. REUTERS/Andrew Winning
A smiling and apparently fit Queen Elizabeth has left
hospital a day after she was admitted with symptoms of
gastroenteritis.
The 86-year-old British monarch, wearing a red coat and
silver brooch, shook hands with medical staff on the steps of
the King Edward VII hospital in central London before being
driven away by limousine.
Buckingham Palace officials said she had first developed
symptoms of the stomach bug on Friday and the decision to
take her to hospital was a precautionary measure.
Royal aides suggested at the time she might stay in for a
couple of days.
The palace offered no further details on the queen's
condition, but confirmed that all her engagements for this
week, including a trip to Italy scheduled for March 6-7,
remained cancelled or postponed.
It is unusual for the monarch to cancel an engagement.
The head of state, who last year celebrated 60 years on the
throne, is known for her robust health. She was last
hospitalised in 2003 when she had a knee operation.
News of her latest hospital admission made headlines around
the world.
The queen and the royal family have enjoyed a surge in
popular support in Britain in recent years, spurred on by the
wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton in
2011.
The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
are expecting a child this summer.
The queen's own Diamond Jubilee celebrations last year
cemented her popularity, as did her participation in the
opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games, appearing
alongside the fictional spy James Bond in a video sequence
hailed as one of the highlights of the show.
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