Philip back in the driving seat after illness
HE may have been laid low by an infection, but there was never any doubt that Prince Philip would be out of action for long.
And so, just days after the Duke of Edinburgh left hospital, he was already back in the driving seat, taking the Queen to a Guards Polo Club event in Windsor in a Land Rover yesterday.
The duke, who turned 96 earlier this month, seemed to be his cheerful self once again, in his first public appearance since he was admitted to London’s King Edward VII Hospital on Tuesday evening.
He spent two nights at the private hospital after spending the day at Royal Ascot with the Queen, and was treated for an undisclosed infection triggered by a ‘preexisting’ condition.
The illness caused Prince Philip to miss the state opening of Parliament on Wednesday, as well as cancelling a scheduled appearance at London Zoo.
He may have been suffering from a recurrence of a bladder infection, for which he was twice admitted to hospital in 2012. But he appeared very comfortable as he enjoyed the British Driving Society Annual Show, dressed in a navy blue jacket and pink open collar shirt. Her Majesty wore an elegant mint green ensemble over a paisley dress with a matching hat.
Meanwhile their youngest son, Prince Edward, 53, was there as a doting father as he and son James, Viscount Severn, nine, watched Lady Louise, 13, taking part in a carriage driving procession.
Prince Philip will have been impressed with his granddaughter’s accomplished riding, as he was personally instrumental in establishing carriage driving as a UK sport.