Prince Philip leaves hospital after one month battle with infection and heart procedure
Prince Philip has left King Edward VII Hospital in London, marking the end of his longest ever hospital stay.
The Duke of Edinburgh spent one month being treated for an infection and in between had a heart procedure at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
The 99-year-old was driven back home to Windsor Castle in a car on Tuesday morning (Tuesday evening AEDT).
The exit from the hospital was partially covered to the waiting media but the Duke of Edinburgh could be seen getting into the black BMW.
Dressed casually, the royal wore a white polo top and lemon coloured cardigan.
In a statement from Buckingham Palace, Prince Philip thanked “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.”
Prince Philip was first taken to King Edward VII in Central London on February 16 as a “precautionary measure” after “feeling unwell”.
The Duke, who turns 100 in June, was driven in a car to the facility and walked into the hospital unassisted.
At the time, Buckingham Palace said the admission was on the advice of His Royal Highness’s Doctor “for a few days of observation and rest”.
It was later revealed the 99-year-old was battling a mystery infection and required a longer hospital stay.
On March 1, the Duke was transferred from the private facility to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London — a specialist in cardiac care — which is where he later underwent an undisclosed heart procedure on March 3.
A couple of days later, on March 5, the Queen’s husband was transferred back to King Edward VII Hospital to continue his treatment and recovery there, where he stayed another 11 days till being discharged on March 16.
Royal commentator Katie Nicholl told 9Honey recently, the Prince’s procedure for a pre-existing heart condition is perhaps the most concerning.
“It’s clearly serious, no doctor would put a 99-year-old under anaesthetic or under the knife unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Nicholl tells 9Honey.
“This is his longest stay in hospital ever, so this is clearly very serious.”
Prince Philip has received treatment for various health conditions over the years, including a blocked coronary artery in 2011 after which he had a stent fitted.
The last time the Duke of Edinburgh was in hospital prior to this recent admission was in the days before Christmas in 2019.
In April 2018, just a month before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding the Duke underwent planned hip surgery at King Edward VII and was discharged nine days later.
He also had bladder infection in 2012 and exploratory surgery on his abdomen in June 2013.
The 11 day stint in hospital in 2013 was previously Prince Philip’s longest stay prior to this hospital admission.
