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After Illness, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip Set Off On Christmas Trip

LONDON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip are on their way to their country estate to celebrate Christmas after the couple delayed their trip for a day due to illness.

Royal officials said Wednesday that both the queen and Philip were suffering from heavy colds and had to call off their train trip to Sandringham, the queen's private estate in the Norfolk countryside 110 miles  north of London. The royal family traditionally gathers at Sandringham each Christmas and spends the festive season there.

The couple appeared to have recovered somewhat Thursday, with officials confirming their departure from Buckingham Palace in London. The BBC reported that the pair traveled by helicopter.

The queen turned 90 this year and Philip is 95.

Both maintain busy schedules, though the Queen has said she plans to scale back in the upcoming year.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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