Prince Phillip to Remain Hospitalized for ‘Several Days’ Following Infection

Prince Philip is expected to remain in the hospital for “several days” as he receives treatment for an infection. Buckingham Palace provided the update Tuesday, a week after the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the hospital after feeling “unwell.” The statement marked the first time the Palace revealed the cause of his hospitalization.

In the statement, the palace confirmed Philip, who will turn 100 in June, remains hospitalized at King Edward VII’s Hospital, where he was transported via car last week. The Palace explained the prince is “receiving medical attention for an infection,” though the statement did not provide further details regarding the infection. The statement added that Philip “is comfortable and responding to treatment” and “is not expected to leave hospital for several days.”

The statement came just a day after the duke’s grandson, Prince William, said his grandfather was “OK” when asked about the 99-year-old’s health during a visit to a vaccination center in Norfolk. William added that hospital staff were “keeping an eye” on his grandfather, according to CNN. On Tuesday, Philip’s youngest son Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, whom the royal shares with Queen Elizabeth II, told Sky News his father’s condition was improving and he was feeling “a lot better.”

“As far as I’m aware, well I did speak to him the other day, so he’s a lot better thank you very much indeed, and he’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing,” Edward said just hours before the Palace released an official statement on the duke’s condition. “So we keep our fingers crossed.”

According to Edward, Philip is “just a bit” frustrated with being in the hospital. Edward said, “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.” He also expressed gratitude for the multitude of well wishes people have offered since Philip was taken to the hospital as “a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s Doctor.” Edward said that since last Tuesday, “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.”

Philip has been hospitalized for a week now. The hospitalization follows other health scares for the prince, who married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Along with Edward, Philip and the Queen are parents to Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Princess Ann. He will celebrate his 100th birthday in June and is the longest-serving royal consort in British history.