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Prince Charles says his father Prince Philip is being looked after ‘very well’ on his fourth day in hospital, but did not reveal whether he would be home in time for Christmas.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, has been in hospital since Friday morning and was admitted after a period of poor health, battling a ‘flu-like’ illness for weeks and suffering a ‘bad fall’.
He was flown from the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk to the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, London amid growing concern for his health.
Speaking about his father to reporters as he visited the flood-hit village of Fishlake this afternoon, Prince Charles said: ‘He’s being looked after very well in hospital. At the moment that’s all we know.’
A woman also asked Charles during the visit: ‘Sir, how is your father?’ He replied: ‘All right. When you get to that age things don’t work so well.’ Police officers were pictured outside the hospital where the Duke of Edinburgh is being cared for this afternoon.
Prince Charles has a drink at the Hare and Hounds pub during a visit to Fishlake in South Yorkshire which was hit by floods earlier this year
The Prince of Wales seemed to be a hit with locals, who laughed and smiled as they exchanged words with him in Fishlake
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh sits on a carriage during the Royal Windsor Horse Show, in Windsor in May. Buckingham Palace has insisted the Duke’s hospital visit is for a pre-existing condition and is precautionary
Speaking about Prince Philip to reporters as he visited the flood-hit village of Fishlake this afternoon, Prince Charles said: ‘He’s being looked after very well in hospital’
Charles attended a reception in the Town Hall with people from Fishlake, Bentley and Stainforth that have been involved in the recovery and rescue work
The Prince Of Wales meets emergency services personnel during his visit to the flood-ravaged town near Doncaster today
Charles toured the village, visiting homes and local businesses, including The Old Butcher’s Café and Hare and Hounds pub that have suffered because of the floods
The Prince of Wales speaks to local residents during a visit to Fishlake, in South Yorkshire, which was hit by floods earlier this year
He speaks with local residents and businesses during his visit. A month’s worth of rain fell in just 24 hours which left over 25 roads and four bridges closed and approximately 1,000 residential properties were flooded
The Prince of Wales (pictured in Fishlake, south Yorkshire) hit it off with locals as he toured the flood-hit area where a month’s worth of rain fell in just 24 hours
Charles is pictured speaking to residents in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, where rain left 1,000 properties either flooded or uninhabitable
Sky London, 59, from Marylebone, was outside the hospital on Monday and said: ‘I’m worried about Prince Philip because of his age. He’s knocking on now.
‘Of course everybody’s worried about him.’
Buckingham Palace has stressed that he was not an emergency case and was being treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’.
A Buckingham Palace statement on Friday said: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh travelled from Norfolk this morning to the King Edward VII Hospital in London for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition.
‘The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor.’
Philip ‘doesn’t want any fuss’ in the wake of his hospital treatment and has told his family to ‘carry on as usual’ with their festive celebrations.
It comes after a subdued Saturday at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where the Queen is thought to have postponed her normal routine of visiting the Royal stud on the first day of her festive break.
The Queen normally tours the stud on the 20,000-acre estate soon after arriving from London to see her horses and the staff who care for them.
While staff appeared to be preparing for a Royal arrival yesterday morning, the Queen seemingly did not visit.
In another apparent break from routine, there was no Saturday pheasant shoot, despite it being the height of the shooting season.
In recent years, Philip has watched shoots at Sandringham from the warmth of a Land Rover.
The palace has repeatedly insisted that Philip’s condition is not considered serious or an emergency.
It has also been said that no senior members of the Royal Family intend to visit the 98-year-old and ‘will not be changing long-held plans’.
Royal sources said that he was expected to remain in hospital for a few days, raising the prospect that he could be discharged in time to join the Queen and other senior Royals at Sandringham on Christmas Eve.
The Royal Family traditionally lay out their presents on trestle tables on December 24 and exchange their gifts at tea time.
On Christmas Day, they attend morning service at the nearby St Mary Magdalene Church.
The duke, who will celebrate his 99th birthday next June, has enjoyed largely excellent health for most of his life, appearing to recover well from a planned hip replacement in April last year.
He even escaped with minor injuries after a car crash near Sandringham in January, which led him to voluntarily give up his licence, but was said to have been left deeply shaken by the incident.
But over the past decade he has been admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery, bladder infections and a blocked coronary artery, which also saw him flown to hospital by helicopter.
The duke has rarely been seen since his retirement from public duties, apart from at the odd family engagement.
He was last spotted over the summer, enjoying the Royal Family’s annual sojourn at Balmoral.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales arrived in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, to see the impact of the severe flooding that hit the village last month.
Charles, 71, met firefighters, police and soldiers on the outskirts before walking into the village, which was hit by ‘biblical’ levels of rain.
He then toured the village, visiting homes and local businesses, including The Old Butcher’s Café and Hare and Hounds pub that have suffered because of the floods.
Charles also met volunteers and witnessed the relief efforts in St Cuthbert’s Church which has been converted into a temporary goods store and support centre.
Finally, he attended a reception in the Town Hall with people from Fishlake, Bentley and Stainforth that have been involved in the recovery and rescue work.
More than 1,000 homes and 200 businesses were affected by the horrifying flooding last month, with many of the properties utterly devastated.
The rebuilding process is expected to last well until next year with residents unable to get home in time for Christmas.
Entire ground floors of properties have been destroyed, with homeowners still desperately trying to dry out walls and plasterboard.
Many of the flood-affected villagers have ’emptied their lives’ into skips and piles of rubbish lay strewn in people’s gardens.
Charles, 71, met firefighters, police and soldiers on the outskirts before walking into the village, which was hit by ‘biblical’ levels of rain
Clarence House also confirmed that Charles had made donations to flood relief funds in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire
A woman also asked Charles during the visit: ‘Sir, how is your father?’ He replied: ‘All right. When you get to that age things don’t work so well’
The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under flood water in November after heavy rains devastated the village
Allen Buck, a resident of Fishlake, South Yorkshire, continues the clean up after his bungalow flooded in November
Volunteer Ruth Pridham with products donated to St Cuthbert’s Church in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, to help victims of the November flooding
Skips filled with rubble from water damaged homes in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, after the area flooded in November
Police officers outside King Edward VII Hospital in London today, where the Duke of Edinburgh is being treated, having arrived at the hospital on Friday
Fields that were submerged when the River Don burst its banks have been left damaged and previously lush green grass left covered with large patches of mud.
Dramatic drone photographs from the time show the devastation in the village, near Doncaster, as roads and fields were turned into rivers.
Clarence House confirmed that Charles had made donations to flood relief funds in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
The donations, made through the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation, have been made to Foundation Derbyshire’s flood relief fund and another to the South Yorkshire Community Foundation.
They have been matched by the Duke of Westminster.
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