Prince Philip admitted to London hospital for hip operation
Written by News on 03/04/2018
The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to hospital for a planned operation on his hip, Buckingham Palace has said.
The 96-year-old is being cared for at the King Edward VII Hospital in central London, where the procedure will take place on Wednesday.
“Further updates will be issued when appropriate,” the Palace said in a statement.
The Duke did not accompany the Queen to church at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Easter Sunday because of a problem with his hip.
He also reportedly pulled out of an official engagement with the Queen and Duke of York at Windsor Castle last week.
It is understood he missed an annual Maundy Service on Thursday because of the same issue.
The day before, however, he was spotted driving in Windsor Great Park, leading to speculation that the problem was not particularly serious.
While he does still attend events with the Queen on occasion, the prince stepped down from public duties last summer.
When the announcement was made, Buckingham Palace said the decision had not been taken on health grounds.
The prince has been in good health for most of his life and only began to suffer a series of scares when he was 87:
2008: Philip was admitted to hospital for a chest infection and was discharged three days later.
2011: Two days before Christmas Philip was taken to hospital from Sandringham with chest pains. He had surgery and was discharged four days later.
2012: During his wife’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations Philip was taken to hospital with a bladder infection and released five days later. Two months later the infection recurred and he was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
2013: Philip had an exploratory operation on his abdomen, spending 11 days in hospital.
2014: Philip appeared in public with a bandaged right hand after a “minor procedure”.
2017: The prince was taken to hospital with an infection.
(c) Sky News 2018: Prince Philip admitted to London hospital for hip operation
