Queen Mother 'cheerful' after accident

The Queen Mother was treated at Clarence House

The Queen Mother is "cheerful" and sitting up in bed having spent a "reasonable night" after breaking her collar bone in a fall at her London home.

But her engagements this week, including planned appearances to mark Remembrance Day, have been cancelled.

It is not yet known when she will be able to resume her usual public engagements.

Doctors have said she will need plenty of rest for at least a few weeks.

'Very chirpy'

Prince Charles, who visited his grandmother on Monday, said she was "very chirpy and in remarkably good form".

The Queen Mother, who celebrated her 100th birthday in August, tripped on the edge of a carpet as she entered her sitting room, late on Friday afternoon, Clarence House said.

She is in remarkably good form

Prince Charles

She was found by a member of her staff within a minute and was treated by doctors at Clarence House for a fracture of the left-hand-side of her collar bone.

Earlier a spokeswoman at Clarence House, which is close to Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, said: "Her Majesty is reasonably comfortable and has cancelled her engagements for the time being,"

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has sent the Queen Mother a get well message.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister was very sorry to hear about her accident and has sent her a personal note wishing her a speedy recovery."

It is the second fall in a week for the Queen Mother, who celebrated her centenary on 4 August.

Last Tuesday she tripped on her evening gown while getting into her limousine after a dinner in central London.

Eye witnesses said the Queen Mother appeared to hit her head on the car but Clarence House said she was unhurt.

Loss of confidence

The Queen Mother should make a good recovery from breaking her collar bone, but her main problem will be regaining her confidence and balance following the fall, a medical expert said.

Strong bond: With Charles in 1948

Deborah Eastwood, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at London's Royal Free Hospital, said the injury was "relatively minor" and would not need setting in plaster.

She said: "All she will need is a Girl Guide-type sling to give her arm some support, which she will probably need to wear for two to three weeks."

The arm is suspended by the collar bone and the sling will take the weight off the fracture.

Ms Eastwood added: "The main problem for elderly ladies with this type of injury is that they are often using walking sticks, and obviously they can't do that with their arm in a sling.

"They may need some encouragement to get back on their feet and start walking again, but there should be no long-term health problems."

No constant watch

The Queen Mother's spokeswoman said: "The Queen Mother was on her own when she tripped and fell.

"Had there been someone with her they probably could have stopped her fall.

"But Her Majesty spends most of the time on her own. There is always someone close by but Her Majesty has a life of her own and is not kept under constant watch.

"Everybody is aware that she is 100-years-old and they keep things out of her way, so she probably didn't trip on anything in particular."