Prince Philip is hospitalized

LONDON >> Prince Philip, the 98-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, was taken to a hospital in London on Friday as a precautionary measure to treat a pre-existing condition, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

“The Duke of Edinburgh traveled from Norfolk this morning to the King Edward VII Hospital in London for observation and treatment,” the palace said, using the official royal title for Prince Philip. “The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’ Doctor.”

The confidential, private King Edward VII Hospital in London has treated members of the monarchy for decades. Prince Philip walked into the hospital, the BBC reported.

Philip, who has been dealing with a series of health issues and underwent hip surgery at the hospital last year, announced in May 2017 that he would retire from public life. No reason was given at the time for his decision.

He was staying at the royal Sandringham estate in Norfolk, 100 miles north of London when he was taken to the hospital Friday morning. The British news media reported that the prince was expected to remain in the hospital for a few days, but he was not taken by an ambulance and his admission had been planned.

The queen arrived on Friday morning at the estate, where members of the royal family gather for Christmas festivities, and it was unclear whether Philip would be discharged in time to take part in them. He missed the festivities for the first time in 2011 when he was hospitalized because of chest pains.

A native of Greece, Philip married the future queen in 1947, and was seen in Britain as a symbol of the monarchy’s stability during his 65 years in the public eye. The nephew of the war leader Lord Mountbatten, he served as an aide-de-camp for him during World War II and was later appointed to the highest ranks in the British military, including marshal of the Royal Air Force.

He made his last solo appearance in public in August 2017, when he paid tribute to a group of Royal Marines. He resurfaced in 2018 at the wedding of his grandson Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, now Duchess of Sussex.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Britain’s Prince Philip waits for the bridal procession following the October wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank. Buckingham Palace says Prince Philip has been admitted to a London hospital “as a precautionary measure.”