LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s 99-year-old husband, was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday as a precautionary measure after feeling sick with a disease unrelated to COVID-19.
The prince, whose official title is Duke of Edinburgh, entered the King Edward VII private hospital in London without help after feeling ill for a short time, a royal source said.
The 94-year-old queen remains at Windsor Castle near London, where the pair is staying during the coronavirus pandemic in Britain. Both received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in January.
“Admitting the duke is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor, after he feels bad,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
“The duke must remain in the hospital for a few days of observation and rest”.
A real source said Philip did not have a COVID-19-related illness and that it was not an emergency.
An hour after his arrival, teams of cameras and photographers from Britain, Australia, France and Germany gathered in front of the hospital, where police officers stood guard.
“I am very sorry to hear that His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh is hospitalized,” said British Health Secretary Matt Hancock. “Sending him my best wishes for a speedy recovery.”
A former naval officer known for his sometimes brusque and humorous manner, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became queen. He is now by far the oldest consort of any British monarch.
The couple’s marriage, earlier-than-expected inheritance from the British throne and family life with four children have been traced in recent years by Netflix drama The Crown.
Philip is now rarely seen in public. He resigned from official commitments in August 2017, after completing more than 22,000 solo events and thousands more alongside Queen.
During the pandemic, the royal family visited hospitals and frontline staff, either online or in person, to thank them for their efforts. Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, visited staff at a Birmingham hospital on Wednesday.
The royal family was also in the news in the last few days after Philip’s grandson Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan announced that they were expecting their second child and agreed to an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Among the topics they will discuss are why the couple left the royal family to spend more time in America last year.
Philip, born in Greece, has undergone several hospital admissions in the past decade, including treatment for an infection in 2017 and hip replacement surgery. He was previously admitted to the hospital in late 2019.
The duke is expected to turn 100 in June. The tabloids reported that he does not want public fuss.
Additional reporting by Michael Holden and Kate Holton; edition by Guy Faulconbridge, Giles Elgood and Mike Collett-White