Queen gives her doctor huge gift after 15 years of service—'it was a very nice surprise!'

The Queen has given her chief doctor a touching gift for taking care of the Royal Family over the past 15 years. 

• The Queen has presented a prestigious gift to her doctor in recognition of his outstanding service to the Royal Family. 
• Professor Sir Huw Thomas was made Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on Tuesday at Windsor Castle amid ongoing concerns for Her Majesty's health. 
• In other royal news, Princess Anne's hilarious biscuit faux pas with Ab Fab star.
  

The Queen has gifted her personal doctor a prestigious gift as a gesture of gratitude for his tremendous work over the past 15 years. 

Her Majesty knighted Professor Huw Thomas in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, in honor of his long-standing service to the Royal Family. 

The Consultant Gastroenterologist, who balances his clinical practice at St. Mary's Hospital in London with his academic post at Imperial College, was appointed Physician to the Queen in 2014 after first stepping into the Royal Households in 2005. He was accompanied by his wife, Lady Thomas, to receive the esteemed accolade. 

“It was a very nice surprise!” Professor Huw said in a recent interview. “It's been a busy couple of years in this role, so I feel very grateful to have been recognized for my service to date.” 

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The 63-year-old medic was likely called to Windsor Castle on numerous occasions over the past couple of months, with the Queen’s fragile condition growing increasingly more apparent since the beginning of autumn. 

Her Majesty pulled out of multiple high-profile engagements in October and November, including a two-day-long tour to Northern Ireland and an appearance at COP26 in Glasgow. Alarm for the 95-year-old monarch’s wellbeing reached a peak shortly before Halloween when the Queen was admitted to hospital overnight for ‘preliminary investigations’. 

The Head of State sprained her back just a few weeks later, prompting her medical team—led by Professor Huw—to prescribe a much-needed rest from her busy work schedule. 

Professor Huw does not hold a full-time position at the royal houses, but he is expected to always be available at the Queen’s request. 

“My role at the Medical Household doesn’t have fixed sessions, and it’s as and when I’m needed,” he explained. “It is a great honor to be Physician to the Queen. It’s a very enjoyable and rewarding role—completely different from what I would normally be doing.”