Philip ‘is up and about’ after two nights in hospital
THE Duke of Edinburgh is said to be ‘up and about’ despite spending the last two nights in hospital with an infection.
The setback, which forced the 96-yearold to miss the State Opening of Parliament and some of Royal Ascot, comes amid a schedule of engagements that would challenge a man half his age.
But Buckingham Palace insisted that the Queen’s husband of almost 70 years was in ‘good spirits’. It is believed that he is suffering from a recurrence of the bladder infection that twice saw him admitted to hospital in 2012.
Although he recently announced plans to retire from official duties in the autumn, he spent Tuesday at Royal Ascot with the Queen.
The day before, Prince Philip enjoyed carriage-driving through Windsor Great Park; on Sunday he was at the Guards Polo at Windsor and he spent much of Saturday
at Trooping the Colour. Last week he travelled with the Queen by train from Slough to London on Tuesday, held a reception at Buckingham Palace for one of his charities, Plan UK, on Wednesday, and undertook two engagements with the monarch in London on Thursday.
On Tuesday evening his personal physician was summoned to Windsor Castle, who recommended he be admitted to private King Edward VII Hospital in London as a ‘precautionary’ measure.
Prince Charles stepped in for his father at the State Opening of Parliament, supporting the Queen. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said yesterday: ‘Prince Philip is in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot.’