Prince Phillip is doing “OK,” but he’s not ready to leave the hospital just yet.
The royal and husband of Queen Elizabeth was taken to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London for observation as a “precautionary measure” after “feeling unwell” last Tuesday night. While it was hoped that he would be released over the weekend, Phillip has since had to extend his stay a little longer than initially suggested, although Buckingham Palace assured the public it was not an emergency, nor is it COVID-19 as he and the Queen have been vaccinated. On Tuesday, the Palace released another statement on the royal’s health that read, “The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII’s Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection. He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days.”
A palace source previously told Vanity Fair something similar, explaining, “Following consultation with his doctor, the Duke of Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week. As we have said previously the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The Duke remains in good spirits.”
Phillip’s youngest son Prince Edward also told Sky News on Tuesday that his father is doing “a lot better,” adding, “He’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing, so we keep our fingers crossed.” When asked if the royal is frustrated with being stuck in the hospital, Edward replied with a laugh, “just a bit.” He continued, “I think that gets to all of us, and then, you can only watch the clock so many times and the walls are only so interesting. We’ve had some brilliant and lovely messages from all sorts of people, and we really appreciate that and so does he. I’ve been passing them on. It’s fantastic, thank you.” Prince William also gave an update on his grandfather on Monday, telling the press during a visit to a coronavirus vaccination center, “Yes, he’s OK. They’re keeping an eye on him.”
Phillip, who formally stepped back from his public duties in 2017, will turn 100 in June and the whole extended royal family is expected to gather together for the occasion. But the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly wants “nothing to do with any celebrations” they have planned for him. An unsurprising stance given that when Phillip was asked in 2000 about his wife Queen Elizabeth potentially reaching the centennial milestone, the UFO-enthusiast and “reluctant celebrant” said, “I can’t imagine anything worse. Bits of me are falling off already.”
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