Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s 99-Year-Old Husband, Hospitalized

Prince Philip has been admitted to a London hospital after feeling “unwell.” According to a Buckingham Palace press release, the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London Tuesday evening “as a precautionary measure,” the BBC reports. Queen Elizabeth, meanwhile, has remained at Windsor Palace.

“His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London, on Tuesday evening,” the Wednesday release read. “The Duke’s admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s Doctor, after feeling unwell.”

The statement added that Philip is expected to remain in the hospital for several days “of observation and rest.” Although details of his condition were not provided, a Palace source said Philip had been feeling unwell for a few days, though it is not related to the coronavirus. According to the source, a doctor was called and the Duke was transported to the hospital via car. His admission was not considered an emergency admission.

The Tuesday evening hospitalization comes a little more than a year after the 99-year-old prince was hospitalized in December 2019 in relation to a pre-existing condition. At the time, it was reported that Philip, then 98, was taken from Norfolk to the King Edward VII Hospital “on the advice of His Royal Highness’ Doctor.” That hospitalization was also considered a “precautionary measure.” Prior to that, he had been rushed to the hospital via helicopter in 2011 after suffering chest pains. He was treated for a blocked coronary artery. Philip was also hospitalized in 2017 and spent 10 days in the hospital in 2018 for a hip replacement.

Concern over Philip’s health has been longstanding. Not long after his 2018 hospitalization, he suffered two black eyes and cracked ribs after he slipped while in the bathtub. Despite his injuries, he attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding that same month. In January 2019, he was involved in a car accident near the Sandringham Estate, though he was not injured in the collision.

Philip, a former naval officer, married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947. The couple share four children together – Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward. According to the Associated Press, Philip is the longest-serving royal consort in British history. He retired from public duties in 2017, though he has made a handful of public appearances since then. Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he and the Queen have spent their time at Windsor Castle.