Prince Charles opens up on health of Prince Philip
As Prince Philip remains in hospital, his eldest son has spoken publicly about the Duke’s health battles, saying, “when you get to that age things don’t work so well”.
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Prince Charles says his ailing father Prince Philip is being “looked after very well but that’s all we know” as the 98-year-old duke looks set to spend another night in hospital.
The Queen’s husband is reported to be in good spirits at Prince Edward Hospital in London while his family begins to converge on Sandringham for Christmas.
While visiting the flood-hit village of Fishlake, his son Charles said the family did not how long he may be stuck in a hospital bed.
“He’s being looked after very well in hospital,” Prince Charles told journalists.
“At the moment that’s all we know.”
When asked how his father was by a wellwisher, the Prince of Wales said the Duke’s ailing health reflected his age.
“All right,” the prince told the woman, “When you get to that age things don’t work so well.”
The UK Mirror reported on Monday that Prince Philip has been joking with his doctors while he receives treatment for a pre-existing condition.
It is still not clear if he will join the Queen and the rest of the royal family by Christmas Day.
On Sunday, the Queen attended church on Sunday with her son Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex without her husband by her side.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said Prince Philip’s admission to hospital was “a precautionary measure on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor”.
Royal sources told The Sun that the Duke’s latest admission to hospital comes after a month of ill health, including a bad fall, after which he was confined to bed for a few days.
“He didn’t break anything, but it gave everyone a scare. He suffers from gout which makes him more irritable and he lost his appetite,” one source said.
“Those around him were worried as he’d stopped eating and didn’t want to go out. But he’s a 98-year-old man and this is all very common at this age.
“He’s been in good health generally but missed the Queen’s Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday for the first time.
“And for the first time in what feels like centuries he won’t be seen shooting anywhere this year, not even on the Sandringham estate which is a great shame.”
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The Queen has not changed her schedule and left Buckingham Palace for Norfolk by train last week to begin her traditional festive break at her private Sandringham estate, reports The Sun.
It means she will also attend the royals’ annual Christmas Day Service without Prince Philip by her side.
A friend of the Duke of Edinburgh also revealed that despite previously stating he doesn’t wish for his life to drag on in old age, he is now very keen to make it to 100.
His decision to retire from public duties during 2017 was not health-related, Buckingham Palace said at the time of the announcement.
The latest news about Prince Philip cames amid reports Prince Andrew will not celebrate New Year with his family at their $25m Verbier ski lodge.
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will spend Christmas in Canada to enjoy some private family time and to reportedly avoid the press.
The Duke of Edinburgh is battling a flu-like condition as he lives alone at a farmhouse at Sandringham in England’s north.
The Daily Mail in the UK reported that the helicopter transport came despite royal sources saying that the hospital admission was not an emergency.
“The duke has had a bad turn recently and has been looking much frailer of late,” a source told the Daily Mail.
“He’s a remarkable man who has always prided himself on how robust he is, but he is six months off his 99th birthday and age takes its toll. He hasn’t been looking terribly well of late.”
It is another blow for the Queen who has had a year to forget following the scandal surrounding her son Prince Andrew.
Prince Philip has only been seen in public three times in 2019 and there have been months of speculation about his health.
Royal sources have been at pains to point out that the hospital admission was not an emergency and he was not taken by ambulance.
The Duke “walked into hospital”, according to a UK TV reporter, and was not in a serious condition.
Philip has kept remarkably good health overall for a man of his age, but he was treated for a heart blockage in 2011 and a bladder infection in 2012.
He had surgery on his stomach in 2013 and started using hearing aids in 2014.
Philip was involved in a car crash at Sandringham in January when his Land Rover flipped when it collided with a Kia, injuring a woman.
He was photographed driving again just two days later and he failed to apologise for more than a week.
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He surrendered in his licence in February as a result of the crash.
The Duke then appeared in public twice in May but has not been seen since.
He attended the Order of Merit lunch with the Queen at Windsor Castle on May 7 and then went to the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle a week later.
Philip missed the traditional church service at St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham on Christmas Day last year.
There were questions about whether Prince Andrew should attend this year’s service because of plans by sexual abuse victims to stage a protest.
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Prince Andrew has been forced to stand down from royal duties following his car crash interview about his friendship with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew has denied any wrongdoing and has denied that he met Australian woman Viriginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims that Epstein coerced her to have sex with the prince when she was 17.
stephen.drill@news.co.uk
Originally published as Prince Charles opens up on health of Prince Philip