Prince Charles Reveals Update on Prince Philip’s Health Amid Hospitalization

Prince Charles gave a health update about his father, Prince Philip, on Monday after Philip was hospitalized last week in London during a planned medical visit. Charles, 71, confirmed that Philip, 98, is doing well.

“He’s being looked after very well in the hospital,” Charles said to a reporter after a visit to the recently flooded town of South Yorkshire, PEOPLE reports. “At the moment that’s all we know.”

Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that Philip was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London, describing his visit as a “precautionary measure on the advice of His Royal Highness’ doctor.”

A source told PEOPLE that the prince did not travel to the hospital by ambulance because it was a “planned admission” and that he entered the hospital “unaided.”

At the time of the Duke of Edinburgh’s hospitalization last week, his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, was on her way to Norfolk, where she will spend a few weeks during the holiday break. The Royal Family is still reportedly hopeful that Philip will be able to be with the queen and other family members at Sandringham come Christmas Day.

“Despite increasing fears for the Duke’s health it is hoped he will be discharged and return to Sandringham to join the rest of his family in time for Christmas,” a source told The Telegraph.

The queen’s decision to continue to Norfolk without her husband is reportedly means that she is not upset about his health.

Philip retired from public life in August 2017, though he has appeared alongside the queen as well as other members of the British Royal Family at events and church services.

Concern over Philip’s health has been mounting in recent months. The royal has not been seen out in public since May, when he attended Lady Gabriella Windsor’s royal wedding. In the past, he has also suffered from bouts of illness and injury, which is believed to have been one of the reasons for his decision to retire.

In 2018, the royal was absent from the family’s Easter services, which were attended by Queen Elizabeth, Prince William, and Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle, and he had unexpectedly. He had unexpectedly canceled his appearance at the traditional service, held at St. George’s Chapel, and it was later revealed that he had undergone a hip replacement surgery.

“The Duke of Edinburgh has undergone a successful hip replacement operation,” the palace said in a statement at the time. “He is progressing satisfactorily at this early stage. His Royal Highness is likely to remain in hospital for several days. He is comfortable and in good spirits.”

Not long after, the prince had suffered two black eyes and cracked ribs after he slipped while in the bathtub. He toughed the injuries out in order to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding that same month.

More recently, in January of this year, he was involved in a car accident near the Sandringham Estate, though he was not injured in the collision.

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