Prince Philip Made It Through Royal Wedding Despite Cracked Rib

Prince Philip reportedly fought through the pain of a cracked rib to see grandson Prince Harry marry Meghan Markle on Saturday.

A royal insider told The Sun that the Duke of Edinburgh slipped while in the bathtub, resulting in the two black eyes he sported at the wedding. However, he refused to miss the wedding, even walking up and down the St. George’s Chapel steps without the aide of a cane.

“The Duke is not a fan of showering and prefers to bathe,” the source told The Sun. “But he’s a determined man and nothing was going to stop him attending nor would he take any kind of walking aid.”

“I take my hat off to him. He is clearly a very resolute gentleman who will not stop doing what he needs to do,” Dr. Carol Cooper told The Sun. “Fractured ribs tend to be quite painful. It’s very rare for a fractured rib not to cause pain — even a tiny fracture. Because your ribs move when you breathe, every breath you take can be painful. Painkillers are often not very effective but it is possible to get have a local anaesthetic injected into the area to deaden the pain temporarily.”

Prince Philip retired from official royal duties last year. He has his final public engagement at a celebration of British servicemen who participated in the 1664 Global Challenge, an event of endurance tests to raise awareness for the Royal Marines Charity in August 2017, The Telegraph reported at the time.

In April, Philip underwent hip replacement surgery at King Edward VII Hospital in London. After the surgery, Kensington Palace confirmed it was a success.

“The Duke of Edinburgh has undergone a successful hip replacement operation,” the Royal Family said 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.”

According to the Sun, Philip started walking up and down the stairs to get fit for Harry and Markle’s wedding after the hip replacement.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in November. Philip will turn 97 on June 10.

Harry and Markle became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after their wedding. Markle, a former actress, “will perform Royal duties in support of The Queen through engagements at home and overseas, alongside a growing portfolio of charitable work and patronages,” according to an update on the Royal Family website.