The Duke of Edinburgh has spent a month in hospital under the care of medical staff after originally being admitted with an infection.
Philip, the nation’s longest-serving consort, has spent 28 nights as an in-patient – his longest ever stay.
He was initially taken by car to the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in central London on February 16, after telling his doctor he felt unwell.
But two weeks later was moved to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London by ambulance.
The duke underwent a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition at Barts on March 3, just three months before his 100th birthday, before returning to King Edward VII’s a few days later to recuperate and continue his treatment.
Philip was visited in King Edward VII’s on February 20 by the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home and stayed for about 30 minutes.
Concern about the duke has been heightened because of his advanced age and his hospital stay comes amid troubled times for the royal family.
During Philip’s spell in hospital the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into a crisis by accusing a member of the royal family of racism – not the Queen or Philip – and claiming that Meghan received no support with her mental health problems.
Harry and Meghan faced calls to postpone their interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey because Philip was unwell, but it went ahead and the couple made a string of claims about their struggles as working royals.
The Queen, 94, said in a statement afterwards that the issues are concerning, but that “some recollections may vary” and the matter is a family one that will be dealt with privately.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge defended the House of Windsor, saying during a recent visit to a school in east London: “We’re very much not a racist family.”
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Philip has been treated for heart problems in the past and in 2011 was taken to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the royal family was preparing for Christmas.
He was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting.
The duke had been spending the latest lockdown at Windsor with the Queen for their safety, alongside a reduced household of staff dubbed HMS Bubble.
The couple, who have been married for 73 years, received their first Covid-19 jabs in January.
