The Queen is already 'back at her desk' following her night in hospital, says Boris Johnson

The Queen is back at her desk following her overnight stay in hospital, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The 95-year-old monarch spent the night at King Edward VII’s hospital in London on Wednesday for “preliminary investigations”, after cancelling a scheduled visit to Northern Ireland.

The status of Her Majesty's health initially wasn't commented on in full by the palace, with a statement released on Wednesday merely stating that the Queen had "reluctantly accepted" medical advice to "rest", and would therefore not be travelling to Northern Ireland as planned. However, Buckingham Palace was later forced to confirm that the Queen had been in hospital for almost 24 hours, after it was leaked to The Sun newspaper.

Though she appeared in good health on Tuesday, during a reception for business leaders at Windsor Castle, Her Majesty was seen last week using a walking stick during an engagement for the first time in 20 years, and has reportedly given up drinking alcohol at the behest of doctors.

But now, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed that Her Majesty is already back at work following her brief admittance to the central London private hospital.

Speaking during a visit to a vaccine centre in west London on Friday, the PM said, "I think everybody sends Her Majesty our very, very best wishes. And certainly we have from the Government.

"But I’m given to understand that actually Her Majesty is characteristically back at her desk at Windsor as we speak. But we send her every possible good wish."

It is thought that because the Queen was due to stay for only a short period of time to be seen by specialists, what was her first hospital visit since 2013 was not announced by the Palace at the time, with protecting her medical privacy also a consideration.

Downing Street did not comment on whether the Prime Minister had held his weekly audience with Her Majesty, but it has not yet been listed in the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements.

Confirming the Queen's trip to hospital by car, rather than helicopter, on Wednesday evening, Buckingham Palace said: 'Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today, and remains in good spirits.'

We're sending our very best wishes to the Queen.