Britain's queen has knee surgery
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Queen expected to convalesce over Christmas at Sandringham
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has successfully had surgery to remove torn cartilage from her left knee, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman has told CNN.
The queen also had a number of benign skin lesions removed from her face while she was under general anaesthetic at a central London hospital, the spokeswoman added on Friday.
"The queen is expected to leave hospital some time during the weekend, and she should be fully active again within a few weeks," she said.
The operations were performed at King Edward VII hospital where the queen had a similar operation on her right knee in January, which was necessary after she fell while walking on uneven ground. .
Friday's operation was not the consequence of that injury, royal officials said.
The 77-year-old was expected to convalesce at Sandringham, her estate in the eastern English county of Norfolk, where senior royals traditionally spend Christmas.
The queen has been healthy for most of her life and still enjoys the outdoor life. In one of her few known accidents she broke a wrist in 1994 when her horse tripped at Sandringham.
Many of the queen's current engagements have either been canceled or postponed. However, her eldest son Prince Charles was due to take her place on Friday in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace to knight Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger. (Full story)
