Queen Elizabeth II, the queen of England, is under medical supervision at Balmoral Castle after doctors became concerned with her health, Buckingham Palace said Thursday.
Her family is traveling to Scotland to be by her side.
“Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral,” the statement said.
All of the queen’s children, including heir Prince Charles, were either at the her bedside, or en route, including Edward, Andrew and Anne, who was already in Scotland having undertaking some events there this week, according to Washington Post report.
The statement comes a day after the palace said the queen had canceled a meeting with the Privy Council on doctor’s advice to rest.
The statements may have been vague on details, but the fact that they were issued at all speaks volumes. The palace typically provides minimal information about her health.
Liz Truss, the new prime minister of the United Kingdom, tweeted, “the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime.”
Last fall, the queen spent a night in hospital — that stay was only revealed after Britain’s Sun newspaper broke the story. As the only monarch the vast majority of Britons have ever known, the queen has been a constant, reassuring presence in people’s lives and any hint of medical issues is taken very seriously.
On Tuesday, the queen met with Boris Johnson, who tendered his resignation as prime minister, and Truss, whom she invited to form a new government. The queen was photographed with Truss in the drawing room at Balmoral, the royal residence where the queen typically spends her summer vacation.
The news of the concern over the queen’s health traveled quickly.
Within moments of the palace’s statement, the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle said Britain’s Parliament had the monarch in its thoughts and prayers.
“I know I speak on behalf of the entire House when I say we send all the best wishes to her Majesty the Queen,” Hoyle said.
Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, said the “prayers of people across the @churchofengland and the nation, are with Her Majesty The Queen today.”
The queen has been planning for her succession for some time. Charles, the longest ever king-in-waiting, has been increasingly stepping in for the queen. He delivered the the ceremonial State Opening of Parliament in May, the opening of the Commonwealth Games in August and the COP26 Climate Conference last fall.
Earlier this year, on the 70th anniversary of her accession to the British throne, the queen said that she wanted Camilla to be known as “queen consort” when Charles becomes king.
