National Post (National Edition)
Prince Philip in hospital but `in good spirits'
Royal officials say move was precautionary
LONDON • Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was in hospital Wednesday night after being admitted following a short period of illness.
The Duke, who turns 100 in June, was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday evening and is said to be “in good spirits.”
His admission was “a precautionary measure” on the advice of a palace doctor. He was taken to hospital by car and walked in unaided.
The palace said he is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of “observation and rest.”
A palace source confirmed his stay in hospital was “purely precautionary” and was not COVID-related. They said the Duke had been “feeling unwell for a short period and the doctor was called.”
An insider added: “The phrase that was used by his doctors was an `abundance of caution.' Obviously, you can never be too careful when patients are the Duke's age.”
Within an hour of his arrival, camera crews and photographers from Britain, Australia, France and Germany had gathered outside the hospital where policemen stood guard.
The Queen remains at Windsor Castle, where the couple have been self-isolating for the majority of the past 12 months. They both received their COVID vaccinations at Windsor on Jan. 9.
Boris Johnson led the nation in sending his best wishes to the Duke for a speedy recovery. A spokesman said: “The prime minister sends his best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh.”
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall continued to carry out royal duties, meeting volunteers taking part in vaccine trials in Birmingham on Wednesday.
The Duke spent four nights at King Edward Hospital in December 2019, where he was treated for a “pre-existing condition” and discharged on Christmas Eve.
The Duke has suffered a number of ailments over the years, including being treated for a blocked coronary artery in December 2011 and a bladder infection in June 2012, forcing him to