Prince Philip undergoes successful procedure for pre-existing heart condition and will remain hospitalised, Buckingham Palace says
Britain’s Prince Philip underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Key points:
- Prince Philip was admitted to hospital on February 16 after feeling unwell, and it was later revealed he had an infection
- On Monday he was transferred to another hospital for testing on a pre-existing heart condition
- Buckingham Palace said the Duke of Edinburgh would remain in hospital for a number of days
“His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days,” the palace said.
Philip, 99, was admitted to hospital on February 16 after he felt unwell, to receive treatment for an unspecified, but not COVID-19-related, infection.
An ambulance carrying the duke was seen leaving King Edward VII hospital in London on Monday morning (local time).
Buckingham Palace confirmed he was being moved to St Bartholomew’s hospital, which is also in London.
St Bartholomew’s, or St Bart’s as it is known, is renowned for its cardiovascular treatment, and its website states it has one of the UK’s leading specialist cardiac centres, “offering state-of-the-art treatments for the full range of heart conditions”.
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has said earlier today the health of Prince Philip was “slightly improving”.
The Duchess, speaking to vaccination centre volunteers at a church in south London, said “we keep our fingers crossed” for the Duke of Edinburgh’s recovery.
The duke and the Queen have been staying at Windsor Palace, just outside of London, during the pandemic, and both received their first COVID-19 vaccinations in early January.
Previous health issues
The duke was previously admitted to King Edward VII hospital just before Christmas in 2019 for treatment for a pre-existing condition and remained there for several days.
In 2012, he missed the end of celebrations to mark the Queen’s 60th year on the throne after being hospitalised with a bladder infection.
In 2013, the Greek-born former naval officer underwent, “an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations”.
He was admitted to hospital in 2017 for treatment for an infection, also arising from a pre-existing condition, and last year spent 10 days in hospital for hip replacement surgery.
In January 2019, Prince Philip was unhurt when his Land Rover flipped after a collision with another car near Sandringham.
He gave up his driving licence after police issued him a warning for driving without wearing a seatbelt.
ABC
