Prince William says Prince Philip is ‘OK’ as Harry called Queen about Duke’s health
Prince William has given an update on Prince Philip’s condition, with the Duke’s hospital stay being extended.
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Prince William has given an update on his grandfather’s condition, saying with a wink that Prince Philip was doing “okay”.
The 99-year-old remains at King Edward VII’s hospital in London, for an undisclosed illness.
Prince William was out in Norfolk, England, on Monday local time to visit staff at a COVID-19 vaccination centre.
He told legendary Sun photographer Arthur Edwards that his grandfather’s condition had not worsened.
“Yes he’s okay, they’re keeping an eye on him,” Prince William said.
He made the comment with a wink, according to those present.
Edwards has been The Sun’s royal photographer since 1977.
Prince Charles visited his father in hospital at the weekend and left in tears, raising concerns about his condition.
There has been no further official update from Buckingham Palace.
Prince Philip has had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and his stay has not been linked to coronavirus.
His stay in hospital, now almost a week, is almost double the length of his previous hospital stay in December 2019.
HARRY CALLED QUEEN ABOUT PHILIP’S HEALTH
Prince Harry called the Queen to ask about Prince Philip’s health, according to UK reports.
The Duke of Sussex spoke with his 94-year-old grandmother as his 99-year-old grandfather was taken to hospital, reported The Sun.
The Duke of Edinburgh has now spent a fifth night in hospital after being admitted to London’s King Edward VII Hospital last week.
The Mail on Sunday reported the 36-year-old royal called the Queen last week to ask about Prince Philip’s health.
Prince Harry is said to be self-isolating in his LA mansion with Meghan Markle and baby Archie in case he needs to return to Britain.
And the duke has made plans to fly back to the UK by private jet and is being kept “regularly informed” of Prince Philip’s health, the Mirror previously reported.
Prince Philip, who turns 100 in June, was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London last Tuesday as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell. The duke is said to have walked in unaided.
On Friday, a source said: “Following consultation with his doctor, the Duke of Edinburgh is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week.
“As we have said previously, the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The duke remains in good spirits.”
CHARLES IN TEARS AFTER PHILIP VISIT
On Saturday, Prince Charles was in tears after he visited his father, Prince Philip, who remains in hospital.
Photographs showed Prince Charles wearing a mask with tears in his eyes as he was driven away from King Edward VII’s hospital in London.
The visit raised concerns about the health of Prince Philip, as the hospital only allows visits in exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Duke of Edinburgh, just a few months short of his 100th birthday, was still said to be in good spirits, and royal sources have played down his illness.
But Prince Charles’ visit on Saturday local time, was a departure from previous hospital visits.
He drove 160km from Highgrove, Gloucestershire, to the hospital in central London.
Prince Charles spent 30 minutes inside the hospital and left when he got into a grey Tesla vehicle.
He had not seen his father since Christmas, with the royal family keeping themselves in isolation because of the pandemic.
The visit comes the day after Prince Harry and Meghan were stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit was permanent.
The Duke, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related.
The King Edward VII’s website states visitors will “only be considered in exceptional circumstances”.
Buckingham Palace did not comment further following Prince Charles’ visit.
Prince Philip is known for his “no fuss” attitude, but the duration of the stay has raised questions.
It comes as his grandson Prince Harry and Meghan were due to give an interview with Oprah to be aired on March 7.
“Time to hide behind the sofa at the palace,” a royal source told The Times of London.
“Oprah is skilled at getting people to talk about their feelings and bound to take them down a path they’ll almost certainly regret. There will be an element of reliving Megxit and airing their grievances. No one benefits from that, but Oprah will get it out of them whether they like it or not.”
The debate around the interview comes as royal watchers try to play down Prince Philip’s illness.
Royal author Penny Junor said Prince Philip would “regard a visit as fuss.”
“Momentous things are happening in the family at the moment and I suppose it’s perfectly possible that Charles wanted to go and talk to his father and reassure him about Harry,” Ms Junor said.
Prince Charles spoke last year of not being able to see his father as coronavirus restrictions persisted.
He spent much of the first lockdown at Birkhall in Scotland with Camilla, but said in June 2020: “Well I haven’t seen my father for a long time.
“He’s going to be 99 next week, so yes, or my grandchildren or anything. I’ve been doing the FaceTime, is all very well but …
“It isn’t the same, is it? You really want to give people a hug.”
At Christmas, Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen and Philip spent the holiday period together at Windsor, apart from the rest of the royal family.
Originally published as Prince William says Prince Philip is ‘OK’ as Harry called Queen about Duke’s health
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