The Queen is back on her feet and feeling well after an overnight stay at the King Edward Hospital in London for a knee operation.
The 76-year-old required surgery to remove torn cartilage, which was causing painful swelling, from her right knee. She damaged the joint when she stumbled on uneven ground during a trip to Newmarket in December. The affected tissue was removed under general anaesthetic using keyhole surgery techniques.
"Her Majesty will rest at Sandringham over the next two weeks before resuming a limited program of engagements," said a Palace spokesperson. While she will require a course of physiotherapy to recover fully, it is expected that she'll be back in form before too long and her love of horse-riding should not be affected.
The incident has sparked fears for her general health, however. "The Queen Mother had severe arthritis and two hip replacements. One could speculate that the Queen has inherited this tendency to have joint problems," said an expert from London's Cromwell Hospital. It was the first time the Queen has stayed in a hospital in 20 years. In 1982 she was admitted to the same facility after an operation to have a wisdom tooth removed.
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