Queen Elizabeth cancels Italy visit over health - presidency

Britain's Queen Elizabeth is seen touring the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during a visit to mark her Diamond Jubilee in central London in this December 18, 2012 file photograph.

ROME (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth has cancelled a trip to Italy this week because of health reasons, the Italian presidency announced on Sunday.

The Queen was to have visited Italy March 6-7 as a guest of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

The monarch cancelled a visit to the Welsh city of Swansea because of a stomach upset on March 1.

The president's office said it had been informed about the cancellation by Britain's ambassador to Rome, Christopher Prentice, who told Italian officials that the Queen needed "medical checks".

Queen Elizabeth marked 60 years on the throne last year and remains hugely popular in Britain.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary)