Stoicism is what she is known for –
and even as the Queen was taken to hospital for the first time in a
decade last night, she insisted that there must be ‘no fuss’.
Despite suffering from debilitating sickness, the 86-year-old refused to allow an ambulance to collect her.
And as she waited for her car to pick her up instead, Her Majesty even decided that she might as well honour one more long-standing engagement.
She awarded a favourite female member of staff a medal for long service in her private apartments at Windsor Castle, where she had been advised to rest.
A source said: ‘It would have to be something extremely serious for her to let a loyal member of her household down.’
Doctors have speculated that the Queen is suffering from norovirus, the winter vomiting bug that closes hundreds of hospital wards every year.
Well-placed sources said that after handing to Janet Doel, her housemaid at Windsor Castle, a Bar to the Royal Victorian Medal (silver) yesterday, the Queen insisted on walking to her car by herself, before also walking in through the hospital doors at the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London .
Her Majesty did – ‘reluctantly’ – agree to cancel her engagements for the next week, including a high-profile visit to Rome, which indicates that the stomach bug which struck on Friday has taken its toll.
But aides were asked to stress that she was in ‘good health and good spirits’, and said she regarded the hospital stay as merely a ‘minor inconvenience’.
And it will be business as usual for her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who remained at home and will undertake a solo public engagement today.
It is due to be a normal
working day for Philip as he attends an event as an Honorary Member of
the Imperial Poona Yacht Club at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in
Kingston.
Indeed, none of the Queen’s immediate family is expected to visit her during her stay – though they were being continually updated about her condition last night.
Scroll down for video
As
the Queen was taken to hospital it is believed that Prince Charles was
in Wales with his wife following a public engagement while Prince
William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were travelling back
from Switzerland after attending a friend’s wedding.
It is only the fifth occasion in her six- decade reign that the Queen has been taken to hospital. Palace officials say she is likely to be kept in for around two days as staff at the hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for acute pregnancy-related sickness in December, monitor her condition.
‘Very much like her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, she is proud of her robust health and does not give in to these things lightly,’ said a source.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman commented: ‘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.’
Last
week the Queen undertook almost a dozen official engagements and
meetings, including a trip to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel –
leading to speculation over whether she may have contracted the illness
there.
During her visit to the hospital in East London on Wednesday, she toured the renal ward, children’s playroom and dining areas. However, the Department of Health said there have been no recent outbreaks of the illness on the hospital’s wards.
Experts have speculated that doctors may be forced to administer fluids either orally or intravenously in order to prevent the monarch from becoming dehydrated, which is a significant risk in elderly patients suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting bugs.
Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel, most commonly caused by either norovirus or food poisoning, and is often passed on by hand to hand contact.
Despite her
advancing years, the Queen, who will celebrate the 60th anniversary of
her official coronation in June, still conducts hundreds of official
engagements each year.
In 2012 she undertook 425 meetings, visits and investitures – 100 more than the previous year – and publicly re-affirmed her determination to serve her people for the rest of her life, putting paid to continuing speculation that she would consider abdicating in favour of Prince Charles, her son and heir.
Inevitably, however, yesterday’s developments will spark renewed debate as to whether the nation is asking too much of its elderly monarch and her husband.
Philip will turn 92 this summer and despite recently suffering several bouts of ill-health himself, has just announced plans to fly to Toronto next month for a military engagement.
Likewise,
the hugely pragmatic Queen abhors any ‘fuss’ and will see her
hospitalisation, sources say, merely as a ‘minor inconvenience’.
Remarkably for someone who has visited so many hospitals in her six decades as monarch, the Queen is believed to have been hospitalised just five times in her life, the first in July 1982 when she had to have a wisdom tooth extracted.
In January 1994, she broke her left wrist in a horse riding accident, although the injury wasn’t diagnosed for 24 hours, during which time she remounted her horse and rode back to Sandringham.
The last time that the Queen was hospitalised was in 2003, when she underwent surgery on her right knee in January of that year, followed by her left knee that December.
Among the key engagements she has been forced to cancel this week was a two-day visit to Rome, her only foreign visit until at least the end of the year.
She and her husband had been due to lunch with the outgoing president of Italy, a keen monarchist who has a photograph of the Queen on his desk at work and last night sent his best wishes for her speedy recovery.
She has also been due to visit HMS Lancaster at West India Quay in London on Tuesday and had already cancelled an appearance at a military celebration in Wales during the country’s St David’s Day celebrations on Saturday.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, last night sent a message wishing the Queen well and said ‘he hopes she makes a speedy recovery’.
Despite suffering from debilitating sickness, the 86-year-old refused to allow an ambulance to collect her.
And as she waited for her car to pick her up instead, Her Majesty even decided that she might as well honour one more long-standing engagement.
She awarded a favourite female member of staff a medal for long service in her private apartments at Windsor Castle, where she had been advised to rest.
A source said: ‘It would have to be something extremely serious for her to let a loyal member of her household down.’
Doctors have speculated that the Queen is suffering from norovirus, the winter vomiting bug that closes hundreds of hospital wards every year.
Well-placed sources said that after handing to Janet Doel, her housemaid at Windsor Castle, a Bar to the Royal Victorian Medal (silver) yesterday, the Queen insisted on walking to her car by herself, before also walking in through the hospital doors at the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London .
Her Majesty did – ‘reluctantly’ – agree to cancel her engagements for the next week, including a high-profile visit to Rome, which indicates that the stomach bug which struck on Friday has taken its toll.
But aides were asked to stress that she was in ‘good health and good spirits’, and said she regarded the hospital stay as merely a ‘minor inconvenience’.
And it will be business as usual for her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who remained at home and will undertake a solo public engagement today.
Indeed, none of the Queen’s immediate family is expected to visit her during her stay – though they were being continually updated about her condition last night.
Scroll down for video
Taken ill: The Queen, pictured during a visit to
Royal London Hospital on Wednesday, has been taken to hospital with a
stomach infection
Tall order: Britain's tallest police Anthony
Wallyn, 26, left, who stands at 7ft 2ins and has to import his size 17
shoes from the U.S., was among the officers keeping guard outside the
King Edward VII Hospital in London today
Medical help: The Queen was taken to King Edward Hospital, Marylebone, London, with gastroenteritis around 3pm on Sunday
Health scare: Press gather outside the entrance to the hospital awaiting news of the Queen's condition
Stomach bug: The Queen, pictured on Wednesday,
is in 'good spirits', as experts say it is likely that her infection has
been caused by the norovirus
It is only the fifth occasion in her six- decade reign that the Queen has been taken to hospital. Palace officials say she is likely to be kept in for around two days as staff at the hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for acute pregnancy-related sickness in December, monitor her condition.
‘Very much like her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, she is proud of her robust health and does not give in to these things lightly,’ said a source.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman commented: ‘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 ROYAL SHOW OF TRUST IN KATE'S HOAX-CALL HOSPITAL
The
Queen is being treated in the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge
stayed just three months ago with severe morning sickness.
Tragically, a few days after the Duchess was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London, a nurse committed suicide after a hoax phone call.
Jacintha Saldanha spoke to two DJs from an Australian radio station – who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles – asking for an update of the Duchess’s condition and put them through to a nurse on her ward.
The 46-year-old was found hanged in her living quarters after a recording of the conversation was broadcast worldwide.
Hospital staff have insisted the nurse was not reprimanded for taking the call, but sources close to the family claim she was ‘ticked-off’.
Senior managers were also accused of failing to support the devastated nurse after the prank because they were more concerned about the hospital’s image.
But the Queen’s admission to the private hospital yesterday indicates it is still trusted by the Royal Family.
The Queen is the hospital’s patron and in December 2003, underwent an operation there to remove torn cartilage from her left knee.
A night’s stay reportedly costs £1,000 and each room has an en-suite bathroom and large flat-screen TV.
The hospital says it recruits the highest-performing doctors in the country and claims to be so clean there has never been a case of MRSA or C-difficile.
The Queen can also take heart that Britain’s tallest policeman is standing guard outside the hospital.
At 7ft 2in, Anthony Wallyn, 26, of the Westminster Police Borough Support Unit, was among the officers manning the door.
PC Wallyn, who has his uniform custom made and imports his size 17 shoes from America, said he was used to the attention his height attracted.
He said: ‘If I work in the West End, I get anywhere between 100 and 500 requests for a photo. It’s like being famous but without the money.’
Tragically, a few days after the Duchess was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London, a nurse committed suicide after a hoax phone call.
Jacintha Saldanha spoke to two DJs from an Australian radio station – who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles – asking for an update of the Duchess’s condition and put them through to a nurse on her ward.
Hospital pranked: While the Duchess of
Cambridge, pictured outside the King Edward VII Hospital, was treated
for acute morning sickness it was subjected to a hoax-phone call which
was blamed for a nurse's suicide
Hospital staff have insisted the nurse was not reprimanded for taking the call, but sources close to the family claim she was ‘ticked-off’.
Senior managers were also accused of failing to support the devastated nurse after the prank because they were more concerned about the hospital’s image.
Big protection: PC Wallyn and a colleague outside the hospital last night
The Queen is the hospital’s patron and in December 2003, underwent an operation there to remove torn cartilage from her left knee.
A night’s stay reportedly costs £1,000 and each room has an en-suite bathroom and large flat-screen TV.
The hospital says it recruits the highest-performing doctors in the country and claims to be so clean there has never been a case of MRSA or C-difficile.
The Queen can also take heart that Britain’s tallest policeman is standing guard outside the hospital.
At 7ft 2in, Anthony Wallyn, 26, of the Westminster Police Borough Support Unit, was among the officers manning the door.
PC Wallyn, who has his uniform custom made and imports his size 17 shoes from America, said he was used to the attention his height attracted.
He said: ‘If I work in the West End, I get anywhere between 100 and 500 requests for a photo. It’s like being famous but without the money.’
During her visit to the hospital in East London on Wednesday, she toured the renal ward, children’s playroom and dining areas. However, the Department of Health said there have been no recent outbreaks of the illness on the hospital’s wards.
Experts have speculated that doctors may be forced to administer fluids either orally or intravenously in order to prevent the monarch from becoming dehydrated, which is a significant risk in elderly patients suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting bugs.
Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel, most commonly caused by either norovirus or food poisoning, and is often passed on by hand to hand contact.
In 2012 she undertook 425 meetings, visits and investitures – 100 more than the previous year – and publicly re-affirmed her determination to serve her people for the rest of her life, putting paid to continuing speculation that she would consider abdicating in favour of Prince Charles, her son and heir.
Inevitably, however, yesterday’s developments will spark renewed debate as to whether the nation is asking too much of its elderly monarch and her husband.
Philip will turn 92 this summer and despite recently suffering several bouts of ill-health himself, has just announced plans to fly to Toronto next month for a military engagement.
In care: The Queen is expected to spend two days at King Edward VII Hospital in central London
Leaders: Although the Queen has suffered various
illness and injury in recent years, it is the health of Prince Philip
that is more often in the spotlight
Well wisher: Prime Minister David Cameron took to Twitter to wish the Queen a speedy recovery
Remarkably for someone who has visited so many hospitals in her six decades as monarch, the Queen is believed to have been hospitalised just five times in her life, the first in July 1982 when she had to have a wisdom tooth extracted.
In January 1994, she broke her left wrist in a horse riding accident, although the injury wasn’t diagnosed for 24 hours, during which time she remounted her horse and rode back to Sandringham.
The last time that the Queen was hospitalised was in 2003, when she underwent surgery on her right knee in January of that year, followed by her left knee that December.
Host: The Queen was well enough to award Jessica Ennis a CBE and Nicola
Adams an MBE at the Investiture ceremony on Thursday, but spent the
weekend resting at Windsor Castle before she was taken to hospital
Honoured: Olympic cycling coach David Brailsford received a Knighthood at The Queen's Investiture ceremony
Her
determination for business as usual to continue also means she has
cancelled barely a handful of engagements over the years, largely due to
unusually heavy colds or, more recently, back pain.Among the key engagements she has been forced to cancel this week was a two-day visit to Rome, her only foreign visit until at least the end of the year.
She and her husband had been due to lunch with the outgoing president of Italy, a keen monarchist who has a photograph of the Queen on his desk at work and last night sent his best wishes for her speedy recovery.
She has also been due to visit HMS Lancaster at West India Quay in London on Tuesday and had already cancelled an appearance at a military celebration in Wales during the country’s St David’s Day celebrations on Saturday.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, last night sent a message wishing the Queen well and said ‘he hopes she makes a speedy recovery’.
没有评论:
发表评论