BBC reporter deletes tweets claiming the Queen was in hospital

A BBC journalist caused panic when she tweeted that the Queen had been hospitalised today.

The tweets - that have now been deleted - claimed that the Queen was being treated at the King Edward 7th Hospital in London.

BBC Broadcast journalist Ahmen Khawaja, whose account sent out the tweets, swiftly deleted them, hinting that they were sent by someone else.

She wrote: “False Alarm: Have deleted previous tweets!!

“Phone left unattended at home. Silly prank, Apologies for upsetting anyone!”

The BBC have also issued a statement on the tweets, saying they were mistakenly sent out as part of an “obituary rehearsal”.

The BBC said: “During a technical rehearsal for an obituary, tweets were mistakenly sent from the account of a BBC journalist saying that a member of the royal family had been taken ill.

“The tweets were swiftly deleted and we apologise for any offence.”

Just to add to the confusion Buckingham Palace was forced to react to the unwanted speculation following the tweet by confirming that the Queen had indeed attended hospital for a "routine" and "pre-scheduled" annual check-up.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "I can confirm that the Queen this morning attended her annual medical check-up at the King Edward VII's Hospital in London.

"This was a routine, pre-scheduled appointment, the Queen has now left hospital."

Ahmen Khawaja's original tweet did not unnoticed.

CNN News sent out a tweet saying that the Queen had been hospitalised be-fore quickly deleting it themselves.

Tweeters who saw the tweet called Khawaja “irresponsible” but some ques-tioned her story.

One responded: "You're either a) lying, or b) need to move if someone you live with thought that was an acceptable prank with your account."

The Queen was out and about in public yesterday  to mark 62 years since her coronation.