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Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip leave for Christmas holiday

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

The royals delayed their departure from London to Sandringham estate because both had heavy colds

The Queen and Prince Philip have officially started their Christmas vacation, after a one-day delay caused by heavy colds. (Annie Leibovitz/Buckingham Palace/The Associated Press)

Queen Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip left Buckingham Palace in London by helicopter for 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.