Post by Taxigirl on Dec 12, 2003 10:20:53 GMT
The Queen will have a torn cartilage removed from her left knee on Friday.
Showing little discomfort, she was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Thursday evening in preparation for the keyhole surgery.
The Queen underwent a similar operation on her right knee in January.
She is expected to recover fully in weeks and plans to spend Christmas with her family at Sandringham as usual, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.
"The Queen is expected to leave hospital some time during the weekend and she should be fully active again within a few weeks," she added.
KNEE JOINT
1. Muscles
2. Tendon
3. Patella
4. Cartilage
5. Cruciate ligament
6. Medial ligament
7. Medial meniscus
8. Tibia
9. Fibula
10. Lateral ligament
11. Lateral meniscus
12. Femur
BBC correspondent Nicholas Witchell, outside the hospital on Thursday, said the Queen did not seem to be in any pain as she got out of her car and walked into the building.
The 77-year-old has enjoyed robust health throughout her life.
The right knee surgery was undertaken after the Queen jarred her knee while walking on uneven ground during a private visit to Newmarket last Christmas.
But the Queen pulled out of two other public engagements planned for this week.
They were a carol concert hosted by the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) on Thursday in London and the re-dedication ceremony of HMS Invincible in Portsmouth on Friday.
The Duke of York is due to attend the latter event instead of the Queen.
The Queen's commitments planned for next week, including receiving credentials from two new ambassadors, have been postponed or cancelled.
Meanwhile, Prince Charles will be handling an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday, bestowing a knighthood on Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger.