Prince Philip, 99, Finally Leaves Hospital After One Month Away From Queen

Mar 16, 2021

Four weeks after he was first admitted, Prince Philip has left King Edward VII’s hospital in central London following heart surgery. He was driven back to Windsor Castle on Tuesday after an extended stay at the hospital. 

Buckingham Palace released this statement after his discharge, "The Duke of Edinburgh has today been discharged from King Edward VII’s Hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle, following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition."

The statement also added, "His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII’s Hospital and St Bartholomew’s hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes." 

After complaining about feeling "unwell" on Feb. 16, 2021, the Duke of Edinburgh admitted himself to the King Edward VII hospital in London as a precautionary measure. He was then moved to St Bartholomew’s hospital in London, where he underwent the heart procedure on March 3 as per the Guardian. After the successful procedure, he was transferred back to King Edward's to recuperate, continue treatment and recover in a more private setting. 

Altogether, Prince Philip spent 28 days as an inpatient, which has been his longest stay at the hospital to date. He was visited by his son, Prince Charles, on February 20, who made a 200-mile round trip for his father and stayed with him for a period of 30 minutes. At the time of his hospital admission, BBC reported that Prince Philip admitted himself voluntarily and not as a result of an emergency. He was also said to have been capable of walking himself into the hospital without the help of an aid. 

After Prince Philip made his way to the hospital in February, Queen Elizabeth II stayed behind at Windsor Castle, where the Royal couple has been self-isolating, reports the Guardian. Because they are at risk, a selected team of Royal staff dubbed the HMS bubble have been residing with them at Windsor. Prince Philip – who will be turning 100 years old in June – celebrated his 73rd wedding anniversary with the Queen in November under lockdown. They also celebrated Christmas without their family at their Berkshire residence, as opposed to their Sandringham home.

This is not the first time that Prince Philip has had a health scare. He has been admitted to the hospital many times in the past decade, reports Royal Central. In December 2019, Prince Philip spent a few days in the hospital for observation for a pre-existing condition. He was discharged on Christmas Eve, just in time to spend Christmas with his family. In December 2011, he was hospitalized for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth hospital in Cambridgeshire, and just half a year later again for a bladder infection. The latter rendered the Prince too unwell to attend Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee celebrations. 

Concerns did continue to remain about Prince Philip's health. In 2013, Prince Philip was once again in the hospital, this time for an exploratory abdomen surgery. In 2014, his deteriorating hearing forced him to adopt hearing aids and in 2016, he left the Battle of Jutland anniversary event early due to a minor ailment. Consequently, in 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh announced he would be stepping down from his public duties.

Since then, the Prince underwent hip replacement surgery in 2018,  just one month before attending Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's grandiose wedding. In January 2019, the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a car accident that injured two people on his Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The Royal was not hurt in the crash.

Due to the Prince's advanced age, precautionary measures were suggested immediately in February 2021 to make sure that the Prince remained healthy. CNN reports that the Prince is in "good spirits" after being discharged from the hospital. 

The Royal family is very protective of their privacy when it comes to their personal lives and health. It comes as no surprise that the Palace has released so little information concerning the Prince's condition when he was first admitted, as this has always been the precedent. Both the Queen and Duke have received their COVID-19 vaccines earlier this year, and at the time of hospitalization, it was believed that the hospitalization is not related to the novel virus.

Prince Philip was born June 10th, 1921 in Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece. Prince Philip has royal roots himself: he was the Prince of Greece and Denmark and was born when his parents Prince Andrew and Princess Alice were still reigning over Greece, according to the Royal Website. However, after political turmoil broke out, his family was forced to leave Greece. Prince Philip adopted the name "Mountbatten," taken from his mother's family, when he became a “naturalized British subject” and renounced his title just one day before marrying Princess Elizabeth. 

According to Britannica, Prince Philip served with the Royal Navy during World War II. Prince Philip continued active service in the Royal Navy until Elizabeth's accession to the throne on February 6th, 1952. Until the conclusion of his service, he commanded the frigate Magpie.

He has been an active and dedicated member of the Royal family ever since Queen Elizabeth's crowning. In a subtle gesture to her long relationship with Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth wore her Chrysanthemum Brooch on her pale blue wool dress in her 73rd-anniversary photograph. 

She was first photographed wearing this dazzling piece as she strolled through the gardens in Broadland during her honeymoon in Hampshire in 1947. She wore it again in 2007 as she marked her 60th anniversary and posed with Prince Philip for their official portrait. Speaking of Prince Philip on her 50th anniversary in 1997, ABC reports that she said, “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years."

In their 73 years together and as the currently reigning couple, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth have watched and experienced all major world events unfold. Today, they are also affected by the current pandemic. Prince Philip, who usually lives at the Wood Farm in Sandringham, Norfolk joined the Queen at Windsor Castle ahead of the first lockdown in March this year, where they have been living for the last 8 months, reports The Daily Mail. 

We are glad to hear that the Duke of Edinburgh is doing well and has returned home. We wish Prince Philip a comfortable stay back at home, and hope that he recovers well in the upcoming days! 

Wishing Prince Philip a continued recovery at home!