Britain's "Bond girl" queen wins honorary film award

LONDON (Reuters) - The Queen was awarded one of Britain's most prestigious entertainment honours on Thursday for her support for the film and television industry.

Actor and director Kenneth Branagh presented the 86-year-old monarch with an honorary BAFTA award - Britain's equivalent of Hollywood's Oscars - for her patronage of many of the country's entertainment organisations since coming to the throne in 1952.

The queen personally demonstrated her support for the film industry last year when she starred with actor Daniel Craig in a James Bond spoof as part of the opening ceremony for the London Olympic Games.

The short sequence, seen by a worldwide television audience, showed the queen meeting Craig at Buckingham Palace before leaving to board a helicopter.

After the scene's transmission, the queen appeared to leap from a helicopter hovering over the event and parachute into the stadium - a role performed for her by a stunt artist.

The unexpected entrance had made the queen "the most memorable Bond girl yet", said John Willis, chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which made the award.

Presenting the award event at her Windsor Castle residence near London, Branagh said to laughter that there were more roles on offer if the queen was available.

"Several of my colleagues here tonight want you to know that should you wish to venture further into the world of British film, that they have a number of scripts with them this evening with some marvellous parts for you," Branagh said.

The queen and her family are enjoying a surge of support in Britain, boosted by the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton in 2011 and her own diamond jubilee celebrations last year.

The expected arrival of a baby for William and Kate in July is likely to further increase interest in the royals.

(Reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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UK: Queen hospitalized over stomach illness

LONDON (AP) — Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been hospitalized over an apparent stomach infection that has ailed her for days, Buckingham Palace said Sunday. The monarch will have to cancel a visit to Rome and other engagements as she recovers.

The palace said the 86-year-old British monarch had experienced symptoms of gastroenteritis and was being examined at London's King Edward VII Hospital. "As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled," the palace said in a statement.

Elizabeth's two-day trip to Rome had been planned to start Wednesday. A palace spokeswoman said the trip may be "reinstated" at a later date.

The symptoms of gastroenteritis — vomiting and diarrhea — usually pass after one or two days, although they can be more severe in older or otherwise vulnerable people. Dehydration is a common complication.

The illness was first announced Friday, and Elizabeth had to cancel a visit Swansea, Wales, on Saturday to present leeks — a national symbol — to soldiers of the Royal Welsh Regiment in honor of Wales' national day, St. David's Day. She instead spent the day trying to recover at Windsor Castle, but appears to have had trouble kicking the bug.

A doctor not involved in the queen's treatment said that if medical officials determined she had lost too much fluid, she could be rehydrated intravenously.

"I suspect that she's being assessed and that it'll be a relatively uncomplicated treatment," Dr. Chaand Nagpaul told Sky News television. "It is very much about ensuring that the body receives the fluid it needs."

Elizabeth is one of Britain's longest-reigning monarchs and has rarely let ill health get in the way of her still-busy schedule.

About five months ago, she cancelled an engagement due to a bad back. The spokeswoman, who demanded anonymity because palace rules do not let her go on the record, said the last time Elizabeth was hospitalized was in 2003.

The queen has undertaken a number of engagements over the past week. On Tuesday, she met the new archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Buckingham Palace, and on Thursday she presented a host of Olympic stars, including track and field star Jessica Ennis, with honors during an investiture ceremony.

Ingrid Seward, the editor of the Britain's Majesty Magazine, said that the queen "probably agreed to be hospitalized in order to get better quickly."

"Everybody will want to be wishing her a speedy recovery," she told Sky.

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Queen Elizabeth has stomach bug, cancels trip

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth has cancelled a planned trip to the Welsh city of Swansea because of a stomach upset, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

"She will be assessed in the coming days but her majesty is currently spending the weekend at Windsor as usual," said a palace spokesman, referring to her official residence.

The spokesman added the monarch, who had been due to attend a military ceremony in the south Wales city on Saturday, was experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis, an infection of the stomach and bowel caused by bacteria or viruses.

The Queen marked 60 years on the throne last year and remains hugely popular in Britain.

(Reporting by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Jason Webb)

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Queen Elizabeth cancels Italy visit over health - presidency

ROME (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth has cancelled a trip to Italy this week because of health reasons, the Italian presidency announced on Sunday.

The Queen was to have visited Italy March 6-7 as a guest of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

The monarch cancelled a visit to the Welsh city of Swansea because of a stomach upset on March 1.

The president's office said it had been informed about the cancellation by Britain's ambassador to Rome, Christopher Prentice, who told Italian officials that the Queen needed "medical checks".

Queen Elizabeth marked 60 years on the throne last year and remains hugely popular in Britain.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary)

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