LONDON (AP) – Prince Philip was transferred on Monday to a specialist heart hospital in London to undergo testing and observation for pre-existing heart disease while continuing treatment for an unspecified infection, Buckingham Palace said. .
Queen Elizabeth II’s 99-year-old husband was transferred from King Edward VII’s Hospital, where he has been treated since February 17, to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, which specializes in cardiac care. As Philip was taken to an ambulance waiting for the transfer, people raised open umbrellas to protect him from photographers and the public.
The palace says Philip “remains comfortable and is responding to treatment, but must remain in the hospital at least until the end of the week”.
Philip was admitted to the King Edward VII private hospital in London after feeling ill. Philip’s disease is not believed to be related to COVID-19. He and the 94-year-old queen received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in early January.
Bart’s Heart Center is the largest specialized cardiovascular center in Europe, said the National Health Service. The center aims to perform more cardiac surgery, MRI and CT scans than any other service in the world.
Philip, who retired from royal duties in 2017, rarely appears in public. During the current confinement of the coronavirus in England, Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, is staying at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the queen.
Philip married then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and is the oldest royal consort in British history. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.