Prince Philip Has Been Taken To The Hospital

Prince Philip interview at 96 in 2017

News broke today Prince Philip was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, June 20. The 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh went to receive treatment for an infection related to a condition he has dealt with before, said Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II's husband retired from public service about a month ago, a move which led people to wonder about his health. Now the move to the hospital has people asking what Prince Philip's exact state of health might be. In a statement, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace revealed,

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London last night, as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. Prince Philip is in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot.

The day before Prince Philip went to the hospital, he attended the first day of Royal Ascot in Berkshire, England. It was one of the few engagements planned for the Duke of Edinburgh this year. However, on Wednesday, Prince Philip missed the formal opening of Parliament at which Queen Elizabeth II gave her annual speech on the government's legislative plans. Moreover, Prince Philip did not attend the second day of the Royal Ascot horses. Prince Charles joined Queen Elizabeth II in his father's place.

Prince Philip celebrated his ninety-sixth birthday in May. According to People, the Duke of Edinburgh announced his eventual retirement in a statement released around the same time. The statement explained,

Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying The Queen. Thereafter, The Duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time.

Prince Philip's health has been a matter of concern for quite a while. In December 2011, Prince Philip went to the hospital to receive medical treatment for a blocked coronary artery. At that time, doctors used a stent to clear the artery. Afterward, he reduced his schedule of public engagements to one event in January and another in February. However, later in 2012, he went back to the hospital with a bladder infection. Then in 2013, doctors had to perform an operation on his abdomen. In fact, both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had to cancel engagements in December of last year due to illnesses.

In recent times, Prince William, Princess Catherine, and Prince Harry have been stepping up to the plate more than ever to take over more and more of the public engagement responsibilities Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip once handled. Still, as recent as this month, Prince Philip was gallivanting around England with Queen Elizabeth II. Last week, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen recreated a landmark train ride Queen Victoria made 175 years ago. So, we'll have to stay tuned to see what happens next. Hopefully, he will recover quickly and get back to enjoying his retirement with his wife.