Royal officials say Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, the Duke of Kent, has suffered a mild stroke.

Buckingham Palace says the 77-year-old Duke of Kent - also known as Prince Edward - fell ill early Monday and was admitted to the hospital for assessment.

The palace said Thursday that he was diagnosed as having suffered a "mild stroke."

It would not go into further details, but said the Duke of Kent's official engagements would be postponed or canceled "for the foreseeable future."

The Duke of Kent's father was Prince George, the younger brother of King George VI and King Edward VIII. His mother, Princess Marine, was the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece.