A shadow over Sandringham
No traditional shoot or stud trip as Royals hope Duke will be fit to join Christmas celebrations
THE Queen’s Christmas holiday got off to a muted start yesterday but hopes rose that the Duke of Edinburgh will be well enough to join her for this week’s celebrations.
During a subdued day at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, the Queen is thought to have postponed her normal routine of visiting the Royal stud on the first day of her festive break.
The Queen normally tours the stud on the 20,000-acre estate soon after arriving from London to see her horses and the staff who care for them. While staff appeared to be preparing for a Royal arrival yesterday morning, the Queen seemingly did not visit.
In another apparent break from routine, there was no Saturday pheasant shoot, despite it being the height of the shooting season. In recent years, Philip has watched shoots at Sandringham from the warmth of a Land Rover.
The start of this year’s celebrations have been overshadowed by concern over the Duke’s health.
Philip, 98, was flown by helicopter to hospital in London on Friday morning for ‘observation and treatment’ of an unspecified pre-existing condition. The dash followed a month of ill-health for the Duke, including a reported fall.
Royal sources said last night that he was expected to remain in hospital for a few days, raising the prospect that he could be discharged in time to join the Queen and other senior Royals at Sandringham on Christmas Eve.
The Royal Family traditionally lay out their presents on trestle tables on December 24 and exchange their gifts at tea time.
On Christmas Day, they attend morning service at the nearby St Mary Magdalene Church.
The Mail on Sunday understands Philip was driven to RAF Marham on Friday morning, where he boarded a Royal helicopter.
The Sikorsky S-76 left the base at 11.05am and landed in South
London 45 minutes later. Philip was then driven to the private King Edward VII hospital in Marylebone, West London.
Royal sources said he walked into the hospital unaided.
The use of the RAF base, which is 12 miles south of Sandringham, guaranteed that the hospital transfer could be undertaken discreetly and away from the press photographers who gather at the estate in December.
However, it also meant that Philip and the Queen, 93, just missed each other.
Wearing a pink coat, pearls and a light blue headscarf, the Queen caught the 10.42am Great Northern service from London’s King’s Cross station and arrived at King’s Lynn at 12.31pm.
It remained quiet outside the King Edward VII Hospital yesterday. No members of the Royal Family were seen visiting.
‘I hope Prince Philip is going to be OK,’ one resident said. ‘It would be nice if he and the Queen were back together at Christmas.’
Prince Charles is unlikely to join his mother at Sandringham until at least tomorrow night. He will first pay a visit to Yorkshire to meet volunteers and victims affected by floods in November.
Prince Andrew, who was forced to resign from Royal duties over his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is expected to join his family at Sandringham, but it remains unclear whether he will take part in the traditional walk to church on Christmas Day.
Prince Harry’s office confirmed that he and his family will be spending ‘private time’ in Canada over the Christmas period.