Queen begins break without Philip
● Duke having treatment for a pre-existing condition
The Queen arrives at King’s Lynn railway station in Norfolk en route to Sandringham for her Christmas break. The move comes as Prince Philip was admitted to hospital as a precautionary measure.
The Duke of Edinburgh is expected to spend the run-up to Christmas being cared for by medical staff, after he was admitted to hospital for treatment relating to a “pre-existing condition”.
Philip’s planned admission to a private central London hospital, which has been treating members of the royal family for decades, was described as a “precautionary measure” by Buckingham Palace.
The Queen did not change her schedule and left Buckingham Palace yesterday for Norfolk by train, to begin her traditional festive break at her private Sandringham estate, where the duke spends much of his time since retiring from public duties.
The duke, who turned 98 in June, has generally enjoyed good health, appearing to recover well from a planned hip replacement operation in April 2018.
Philip escaped with minor injuries after a dramatic car crash near Sandringham in January, but in the past decade has been admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery, bladder infections and a blocked coronary artery.
A Buckingham Palace statement said: “The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor.”
The announcement was made just before 2pm, shortly after the Queen arrived in King’s Lynn.
The 93-year-old monarch, carrying a black handbag and wearing a salmon pink coat and patterned headscarf, was beginning the first day of her Christmas retreat after carrying out her duties at the State
Opening of Parliament on Thursday.
Other members of the royal family will join the couple for part of the festive period.
Events will include the family’s traditional Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
The duke was not taken by ambulance and is expected to be in hospital for a few days.
Philip is known for his “no fuss” approach and is unlikely to receive many visitors while he is being treated at the hospital.
Buckingham Palace would not go into details about Philip’s pre-existing condition, or the nature of his treatment, but there is likely to be concern for the duke among well-wishers given his age.
His decision to retire from public duties during 2017 was not health-related, Buckingham Palace said at the time of the announcement.
The duke is an advocate of healthy eating combined with exercise. He once said he more or less followed the Atkins diet and he drinks only moderately.
He has given up competitive carriage driving, but earlier this year was photographed in the grounds of Windsorcastleholdingthe reins as he drove a horse and carriage through the estate.
Philip suffers from arthritis in his right wrist, and broke a bone in his ankle playing polo. He has also developed synovitis, a rheumatic condition of the tendon in the hand.