Queen Elizabeth has been forced to cancel all her appointments as she battles a stomach virus in hospital.
The 86-year-old monarch was struck down with suspected norovirus — a vomiting bug — last week.
She insisted no fuss was made and spent the weekend resting at Windsor Castle, but her illness worsened on Sunday and she was taken to London’s King Edward VII hospital — although she refused to go by ambulance, preferring her chauffeur to drive her.
The monarch has now “reluctantly” allowed her staff to clear her diary until next weekend. Among the cancelled engagements is a two-day trip to Italy, her only foreign visit this year.
Despite the cancellations, aides were quick to stress the Queen was in “good health and good spirits”.
“The Queen is being assessed at the King Edward VII Hospital, London, after experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis,” a spokesman said.
“As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled.”
It is the first time the Queen has been hospitalised in 10 years, and only the fifth time in her 60-year reign.
She was hospitalised in 1982 when she had a wisdom tooth removed, in 1994 when she broke her wrist in a horse riding accident, and twice in 2003 for surgery on both knees.
Her commitment to her role means she has only cancelled a handful of engagements in the past decade — usually due to heavy colds or back pain — despite her advancing age.
