Queen Elizabeth II’s 99-year-old husband Prince Philip left a central London hospital yesterday, after four weeks of treatment that sparked fears for his health.
The Duke of Edinburgh, as he is formally known, was seen leaving the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in the back of a black BMW car, wearing a white shirt and a yellow jumper.
Buckingham Palace confirmed his discharge and said he had returned to Windsor Castle, west of London, where he had been isolating with the Queen, 94, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
Royal aides said he had been treated for an unspecified infection and had “a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition”.
“The prince 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,” a statement from the palace said.
The prince, who turns 100 in June, was said to be in good spirits. His eldest son, the Queen’s heir Prince Charles, said he was “thrilled” that his father had now left hospital.
Charles, 72, visited the duke last month, but said nothing to the waiting media.
On a visit to a coronavirus vaccination centre in north London yesterday, he said he had “spoken to him several times”.
Prince Philip’s month-long stay at King Edward VII’s Hospital and the state-run St Bartholomew’s, also in London, is his longest stint in hospital.
He was transferred to a specialist cardiac unit at St Bartholomew’s hospital for a heart procedure before returning to the private hospital on March 5.
He was first admitted on February 16 on the advice of his doctor after he complained of feeling unwell. Buckingham Palace said initially that he was expected to stay there for a “few days”, but stressed his illness was not related to Covid-19.