Prince Philip undergoes ‘heart procedure’ and to remain in hospital, Buckingham Palace says

The Duke of Edinburgh has undergone a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition but will stay in hospital for a few more days to recuperate.

The 99-year-old was treated at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in central London on Wednesday.

He has now spent 16 nights since he first went to hospital last month – his longest ever stay.

In a brief statement, Buckingham Palace said Prince Philip’s procedure was to treat a “pre-existing heart condition” but did not give any further details as to his condition.

“His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days,” the statement added.

The Queen’s husband was first admitted to the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London more than two weeks ago as a “precautionary measure” after feeling unwell.

However, on Monday he was transferred to the NHS St Bartholomew’s Hospital – which is a specialist cardiac centre – for “testing and observation” on his heart condition, the Palace reported.

On Wednesday his daughter-in-law Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, said he had “slightly improved” but still “hurt at moments”.

He has also been visited by his eldest son Prince Charles, who made a 200-mile round trip and stayed for around 30 minutes.

Both Prince Philip and the Queen received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in January, and have been mostly locked down with a skeleton court at Windsor Castle during the pandemic.

The Duke of Edinburgh has been rarely seen in public after he retired from royal duties in 2017. He has however been treated at hospital for various ailments, most recently spending four nights in December 2019 at King Edward VII’s Hospital for what was only described as a “pre-existing condition”.

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Prince Philip ‘slightly improving’ in hospital but ‘hurts at moments’, says Camilla