Queen Elizabeth returns to Windsor after medical exams 0:43
London (CNN) -
It is rare for Queen Elizabeth II to miss an engagement, so when she does, the immediate question for many here in the UK is: "How serious is it?"
This Wednesday, Elizabeth II made a last minute call to cancel a trip to Northern Ireland to commemorate 100 years of the partition of the island of Ireland.
Queen Elizabeth II cancels trip after medical recommendation to rest for a few days
The palace acted quickly to assuage our concerns about the monarch's health.
The fears were immediately allayed when a source close to the palace told CNN he was in a "good mood" and pointed us to images from the previous day, when the queen hosted a reception for business leaders, including Bill Gates, in Windsor.
A source told CNN that the queen was resting at Windsor Castle.
The Queen greets UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, during a reception for the World Investment Summit at Windsor Castle on October 19, 2021.
However, on Thursday night British tabloid
The Sun
reported that he had spent the night in the hospital and the palace was forced to confirm that it was true.
"On medical advice to rest for a few days, the queen attended the hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary examinations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today, and remains in good spirits," said a palace spokesman. it's a statement.
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A Buckingham Palace source told CNN that the overnight stay was for practical reasons and was not announced at the time as the monarch has a right to medical privacy.
By Thursday afternoon, he was back in his office doing light tasks, we were told.
And on Friday morning a source reported that the queen was still resting at Windsor.
Queen Elizabeth II rests after returning to Windsor after spending a night in the hospital
The palace is trying to manage the information it publishes, to prevent people from worrying too much, but some may wonder if they are being told the whole truth.
Another question that many are asking is whether the 95-year-old monarch is overindulging at work, with all the public commitments and obligations that she fulfills.
The queen used a cane at last week's events.
There is no doubt that the queen remains fully dedicated to her work, but we have also been reminded of her relentless approach to her duties despite her advanced age.
Earlier this week, she declined the honor of being named "Old Woman of the Year" by a British magazine, saying she did not meet "the relevant criteria."
He "politely but firmly" declined the award through his deputy private secretary with "best wishes."
"Her Majesty believes that one is as old as he feels, as such the Queen does not believe that he meets the relevant criteria to be able to accept, and hopes that he will find a more worthy recipient," Tom Laing-Baker said in a letter.
And just last week we highlighted the queen's decision to use a cane in public for the first time "for convenience."
Queen Elizabeth uses a cane at a large public event 0:49
Following the moves since her return from Scotland, where she traditionally spends summers, the Queen attended the opening of the Scottish Parliament on October 2 before heading south to Windsor.
In the past two weeks, he has attended various engagements and investiture there and in London, as well as heading to Cardiff to participate in the opening ceremony of the Welsh Parliament.
All of this illustrates that the queen does not seem to slow down her ceremonial responsibilities, even at 95 years of age.
Isabel is no longer touring long-term abroad and has handed over some responsibilities to other family members, but continues to travel extensively in the UK.
By our most conservative estimate, the queen traveled over 1,000 kilometers between October 1 and October 19.
That's a lot for any older person.
A busy month for the monarch
Since October 1, Elizabeth II has traveled the length and breadth of the UK to fulfill various commitments.
Source: Court Circular / Royal.uk
Let's also look at the palace's initial statement on the decision not to travel to Northern Ireland, with a rather revealing wording.
It said that the queen had "grudgingly accepted" the medical advice to rest for a few days.
In other words, he wanted to continue, but the royal doctor ordered him to stay home.
In reality, the queen has reduced her commitments to focus on her main constitutional obligations as head of state, such as opening parliaments and hearings with the prime minister and new ambassadors to the UK.
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Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-serving monarch in British history.
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Isabel was born on April 21, 1926 in London.
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Princess Elizabeth poses for a photo at her London home in 1928. Hulton-Deutsch Collection / Corbis / Getty Images
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From left: Princess Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1939. Len Puttnam / AP
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Isabel rides a horse in Windsor, England, in 1940. Lisa Sheridan / Studio Lisa / Getty Images
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14-year-old Isabel (right) sits next to her sister for a radio broadcast on October 13, 1940. AP
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Princess Elizabeth greets a military man on May 29, 1942. AP
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Elizabeth (right) and Princess Margaret in sundresses in 1942. Lisa Sheridan / Studio Lisa / Getty Images
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Princess Elizabeth in South Africa's Natal National Park on April 21, 1947. It was her 21st birthday. Eddie Worth / AP
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On November 20, 1947, Isabel married Prince Philip.
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Princess Elizabeth arrives at a state banquet in London in March 1950. AP
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Isabel ascends the throne in February 1952, after the death of her father.
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From left: Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother in 1958. Fox Photos / Hulton Royals Collection / Getty Images
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Queen Elizabeth II with her eldest son, Prince Charles, in 1969. Charles is next in line to the throne.
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Prince Charles adjusts his crown during his inauguration ceremony as Prince of Wales in 1969. Anwar Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images
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The Queen and Prince Philip salute from a plane shortly before taking off from Tokyo in May 1975. Sadayuki Mikami / AP
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The queen takes a portrait for her 50th birthday at Windsor Castle on April 21, 1976. (Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone / Getty Images)
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The queen during a 1977 New Zealand tour. Serge Lemoine / Getty Images
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The queen, standing next to Prince Charles as he kisses his new wife, Princess DIana, on July 29, 1981. Tim Graham / Getty Images
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Isabel takes photos of her husband during an equestrian show in Windsor in May 1982. Tim Graham / Getty Images
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Isabel drives a Land Rover in Windsor in May 1992. Anwar Hussein / Getty Images
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip watch the floral tributes for Princess Diana after her tragic death in 1997. Pool / AP
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The queen addresses a message to the country the night before Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. Peter Marlow / Magnum Photos
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Prince Charles looks at his mother after his wedding to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in April 2005. Toby Melville / AP
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The Queen (second from right) greets the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011. Her grandson, Prince William (third from left) had just married Catherine Middleton.
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The queen's signature on a guest book in Ireland.
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London's Madame Tussauds museum unveils the queen's wax figure in May 2012. Fred Duval / Getty Images
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Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand during the Diamond Jubilee concert for the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's reign in June 2012. Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images
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The queen in a 2012 picture. Alastair Grant / AP
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A boy in Belfast, Northern Ireland, takes a selfie in front of the queen in June 2014. Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
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The Queen at Edinburgh Castle in July 2014.
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The queen waits to give her speech during the opening of parliament in May 2015. Arthur Edwards / Pool / Getty Images
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Isabel listens to her grandson, Prince Jorge, outside the church where Jorge's sister Carlota was baptized in July 2015. Carlota and Jorge are children of Prince William and Catherine.
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The Queen and Prince Philip during Elizabeth II's 90th birthday in 2016. Arthur Edwards / Pool / Getty Images
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Isabel talks to 14-year-old Evie Mills, who was injured at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017. Peter Byrne / Pool / Getty Images
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The Queen at Buckingham Palace after recording her Christmas message in 2017. John Stillwell / Pool / Getty
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The queen arrives at the wedding of her grandson, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in May 2018. Gareth Fuller / WPA Pool / Getty Images
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The queen laughs alongside Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during an event in June 2018. Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
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The Queen and US President Donald Trump inspect an honor guard during Trump's visit to Windsor Castle in July 2018. Matt Dunham / WPA Pool / Getty Images
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Queen Elizabeth sits alone during the funeral of Prince Philip - who died on April 9, 2021 - in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17.
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Queen Elizabeth opens Parliament in May 2021. It was her first major engagement since her husband's death.
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The queen receives a rose from the Duke of Edinburgh at the hands of Keith Weed, President of the Royal Horticultural Society, in June 2021. The newly bred rose was officially named in honor of Prince Philip.
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Queen Elizabeth meets with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in the Great Corridor of Windsor Castle in June 2021. Steve Parsons / WPA Pool / Getty Images
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The Queen drives her Range Rover while attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, England, in July 2021. Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images
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The Queen and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, greet guests during a reception for international business and investment leaders at Windsor Castle to mark the Global Investment Summit on October 19.
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If he kept the crown but started handing over the ceremonial part of the job to his son Prince Charles, it would start to look like a regency.
And the queen has never suggested that she abdicate.
At age 20, he vowed to serve his entire life and has reiterated this at every jubilee celebration.
In your golden years, there may come a time when you are physically unable to attend all the events that you feel you should attend in person.
Time will tell how you decide to manage your busy schedule.
This could be the beginning of a new testing phase for Elizabeth, which she might be pondering as she involuntarily takes refuge in Windsor Castle for the next few days.
- CNN's David Wilkinson contributed to this report.
Queen isabel II