The Queen has been taken to hospital for the first time in 10 years after symptoms of gastroenteritis led her to cancel a visit to Rome this week. She is expected to remain in the King Edward VII hospital, central London, for assessment after being admitted on Sunday afternoon.

Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen is being assessed at the King Edward VII hospital, London, after experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis. As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled."

The palace revealed details of the illness on Friday, when the Queen was said to be resting at Windsor Castle and was forced to cancel a St David's Day engagement in Swansea on Saturday.

But, as she struggled to recover from the stomach and bowel bug, the decision was made to admit her to hospital. She was driven by private car to the hospital in Marylebone.

A palace spokesman said she was in "good spirits" and was otherwise in "good health". Stressing she had been taken to hospital as a "precautionary measure", he said: "She was not taken into hospital immediately after feeling the symptoms. This is simply to enable doctors to better assess her."

Given the Queen's age – she will be 87 next month – doctors will have been anxious to ensure she remained properly hydrated while suffering from the infection, which causes vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhoea.

It is understood the Queen had an audience with a member of staff to award them a long-service medal in her private apartments at Windsor before she left.

However, her illness means the trip she and the Duke of Edinburgh were due to take to Rome on Wednesday and Thursday has been cancelled.

They had been invited by the Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano, and were due to receive a ceremonial welcome and attend a private lunch, as well as visit the Pantheon, the ancient Roman monument where two Italian kings are buried.

A reception for MPs and MEPs at Buckingham Palace this week will go ahead with other members of the royal family present.

The Queen is seldom ill. She was last admitted to hospital in 2003 for surgery at the King Edward VII to remove torn cartilage in her right knee and lesions from her face.

TV crews and photographers were last night gathering outside the hospital, which has been used by many members of the royal family.

The King Edward VII hospital, which is the preferred hospital for the royal family, was at the centre of a media storm in December when the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted with a severe form of morning sickness.

An inquiry was launched after two Australian radio DJs made a hoax call pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles, asking for details of the duchess's medical condition. Three days later one of the nurses who was hoaxed, Jacintha Saldanha, was found hanged at her accommodation. The full inquest into her death is expected to reopen later this month.