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Prince Philip was today taken 125 miles from Sandringham to the royal family’s favoured London hospital after heeding advice from his doctor – raising fears ill health could prevent him spending Christmas with the Queen this year.
The 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was not blue-lighted by ambulance to the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone and was able to walk into the building unaided this morning, MailOnline understands.
Philip, who splits his time between Windsor and Sandringham since retiring from royal duties in 2017, is receiving treatment for a ‘pre-existing condition’, Buckingham Palace has said.
The Duke is expected to be in hospital for a few days ‘for observation’ – and his admission was understood to have been planned – but it is not yet known if he will miss Christmas Day with his wife, children and grandchildren.
The nature of the illness has not been revealed but in 2012 and 2017 he was admitted to hospital with bladder infections. He was last at the King Edward VII Hospital in 2018 for a hip replacement, spending 11 days there.
It came as the Queen put on a brave face as she arrived in King’s Lynn by train today before being driven to Sandringham to begin her Christmas break – 24 hours after she delivered her speech outlining Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans at the State Opening of Parliament.
Philip, who famously claims his health is so robust that he’s not had flu since the 1970s, travelled the 125 miles from Norfolk to London early this morning. It is not known if Her Majesty went to see him in hospital before travelling to Norfolk by train.
Prince Philip, last pictured on the Balmoral estate (above) on August 14, is in hospital today – raising fears ill health could prevent the 98-year-old spending Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the royal family. He was taken to a London hospital from Sandringham but it is understood to be pre-planned and was not a blue-light ambulance journey
The Queen put on a brave face and headed to Norfolk from London for her Christmas break (pictured at Kings Lynn today) despite her husband’s admission to hospital. It is not known if she saw him before she left the capital
Police officer guards the entrance to King Edward VII Hospital where the Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted in London
The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted on advice of Royal doctors, just hours before the Queen arrived in Sandringham
As fears about Prince Philip’s health increased, it emerged today:
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s 125 mile journey to London was planned and he will be in the King Edward VII Hospital for several days;
- Prince Philip has taken the advice of his doctor and is in hospital ‘for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition’;
- Despite her husband’s admission, his wife the Queen went ahead with her own Christmas plans and travelled from Buckingham Palace to Sandringham;
- Philip has been admitted for a ‘few days’ – so could miss Christmas Day with the royal family;
There are police officers guarding the main entrance to King Edward VII’s Hospital in Marylebone, following the Duke of Edinburgh’s admittance.
Further officers are stationed along the street, in front of the hospital adorned with Christmas decorations.
A Buckingham Palace statement 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’ Doctor’.
The Duke is expected to be in hospital for a few days. He was not taken by ambulance and it was a planned admission.
The announcement was made just before 2pm, shortly after the Queen, who caught the 10.42am Great Northern service from King’s Cross station in London, arrived at platform two in King’s Lynn at 12.31pm.
The 93-year-old monarch, carrying a black handbag and wearing a salmon pink coat and patterned headscarf, was beginning the first day of her Christmas retreat after carrying out her duties at the State Opening of Parliament on Thursday.
She stepped from the front carriage of the train onto the platform and smiled.
The Queen briefly mingled with passengers before she was escorted through a side exit known as the Royal Gate to a waiting Range Rover.
Sandringham, the Queen’s private estate in Norfolk, is a 30-minute drive from King’s Lynn.
Other members of the royal family will join the couple for part of the festive period but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will spend their son Archie’s first Christmas with the Duchess of Sussex’s mother, Doria Ragland, probably at their Windsor home.
Events will include the family’s traditional Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
The Queen arrives at King’s Lynn train station for her Christmas break at Sandringham today
The Queen, 93, left London King’s Cross this morning and travelled by train to King’s Lynn
The Duke was photographed alongside General Sir Nicholas Carter (left) and General Patrick Sanders (right) on June 21 as part of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles
The Queen and Prince Philip were last pictured together at an Order of Merit event at Windsor Castle on May 7. Since he retired from royal duties he has largely been missing from any of his wife’s events
The Duke of Edinburgh at Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding in Windsor on May 18 (left) and at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on May 17 this year (right)
Prince Philip, 96, leaves King Edward VII’s Hospital in London after recovering from a hip replacement. He was able to walk to the car and waved to well-wishers
King Edward VII Hospital in London: Royals’ favourite where Philip, the Queen, Charles, Kate and the Queen Mother have all been treated – and where Princess Margaret sadly died
Prince Philip has been admitted to the the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London (pictured here, when Queen Elizabeth II recovered after she was admitted with symptoms of gastroenteritis in 2013)
Prince Philip will be in familiar surroundings at the private hospital in Westminster after being previously admitted for a ‘pre-existing condition’ in April 2018.
The hospital, which only has 56 beds across its wards, was set up in 1899 to treat former servicemen and the general public as soldiers returned from the Second Boer War.
King Edward VII became the hospital’s first patron in 1901 and it continues to be recognised by the royal family today.
In recent years, it has been used by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge.
In 1995, the Queen Mother had her right hip replaced during an operation at the hospital.
The 90-minute operation was carried out at the famous hospital and she had had treatment there before.
Meanwhile, in 2002, Princess Margaret suffered a stroke and died at the hospital at the age of 71.
In June 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh stayed there for two nights after he was treated for an infection which forced him to miss a royal event.
He was said then to be suffering from an infection triggered by a ‘pre-existing condition’.
The Duke was admitted on that occasion on the advice of a doctor and the setback forced the Duke to miss the State Opening of Parliament and some of Royal Ascot.
And in 2018 he spent 11 days there as he had his hip replaced.
As Philip has continued late into his 90s, concerns for his well-being have increased following a number of health scares.
Abdominal surgery, bladder infections and a blocked coronary artery have seen him admitted to hospital on a number of occasions.
Philip suffers from arthritis in his right wrist, and broke a bone in his ankle playing polo. He also developed synovitis, a rheumatic condition of the tendon in the hand, after a polo fall.
In late 2011, the Duke, then aged 90, was rushed to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the Royal Family were preparing for Christmas.
In the serious health scare, he was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting, and spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day in hospital.
And in the midst of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012, the Duke was forced to miss the majority of the festivities after falling ill with a bladder infection.
The Duke has also made several trips to the King Edward VII’s private hospital, in Marylebone, in recent years.
In June 2017, the Duke spent the day at Royal Ascot, where the hot weather meant the dress code in the Royal Enclosure was relaxed for the first time.
That same evening, he was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital as a precautionary measure, for treatment for an infection arising from a pre-existing condition.
He missed the State Opening of Parliament, with the Prince of Wales stepping in to accompany the Queen, before being discharged after a two-night stay.
In March 2018, he missed the Maundy Thursday service with the Queen because of a problem with his hip and a few days later, in April, Philip was admitted to hospital ahead of a planned hip replacement.
The Duke left hospital 10 days later.
In January this year, Philip was involved in a car crash when the Land Rover Freelander he was driving flipped over after colliding with another car near the Sandringham estate.
The Duke then voluntarily gave up his licence but although he doesn’t drive on public roads he has been seen pootling around the Queen’s estates.
The Queen’s arrival at Sandringham on a Friday is a change from recent years when she has tended to travel on a Thursday.
The Queen, pictured arriving in King’s Lynn, was spotted doing paperwork on the train journey
The monarch wore a pretty rose-coloured ensemble as she arrived in King’s Lynn today
Police officers guard the entrance to King Edward VII Hospital where Prince Philip was admitted
A police officer stands outside the King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on Friday afternoon
National and International media gather outside King Edward VII Hospital where Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted
Passenger Monika Saganowska, 25, who boarded the train at Watlington, the stop before King’s Lynn, said she was unaware the Queen was on board until she arrived at King’s Lynn and saw police on the platform.
She said it was ‘quite exciting’ to discover that the Queen had been on the service, and she was surprised to learn that the monarch had taken public transport.
‘I think it’s great actually,’ said Ms Saganowska. ‘I always thought she would have some kind of a private train or at least a carriage or something, but I didn’t know that she was taking the public train which I think is great.’
The Queen will be joined by other members of the royal family for part of the festive period.
Events will the family’s traditional Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh laugh in March 2015 during a ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade for the President of Mexico and First Lady on a state visit
The Duke travelled to King Edward VII Hospital in London’s Marylebone (pictured today)
Police outside King Edward VII Hospital in London today where the Duke has been admitted.
Police and hospital personnel outside King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, as the Duke of Edinburgh has travelled from Norfolk to the King Edward VII Hospital in London for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition
Philip, who splits his time between Windsor and Sandringham since retiring from royal duties in 2017, is receiving treatment for a ‘pre-existing condition’
Prince George and Princess Charlotte could attend the service for the first time this year, according to reports.
However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be absent, instead opting to spend their first Christmas as parents with the Duchess’s mother Doria Ragland.
Reports have suggested that the Duke of York, who has had a tumultuous end to the year after his disastrous appearance on the BBC’s Newsnight programme, may join the Queen at church.
His attempt to explain his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein backfired and he was heavily criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims and remorse over his friendship with the disgraced financier.
Andrew attended the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace earlier this week.
In recent years the Queen has been driven by chauffeur to the church on December 25 while other family members walk the short distance from Sandringham House to join her.
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