Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip leave for Christmas holiday

Queen Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip leftBuckingham Palace in London by helicopterfor their Christmas travels a day later than planned as both were dealing with heavy colds.

The Queen, 90, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, and Philip, 95, had originally planned to take a train to their Sandringham country residence in Norfolk, eastern England, on Wednesday.

"I can confirm that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have left Buckingham Palace and are travelling to Sandringham," said a palace spokesman on Thursday, without giving further details.

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