LONDON (AP) – Prince Philip, 99, has been admitted to a London hospital after feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.
The palace said Queen Elizabeth II’s husband was hospitalized on Tuesday night at King Edward VII Private Hospital.
He called the admission a “precautionary measure” taken on the advice of Dr. Philip. The palace said Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, should stay a few days of “observation and rest”.
Its disease is not thought to be related to COVID-19. Regina and Philip received a first dose of coronavirus vaccine in early January.
The office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was “sending its best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh while suffering a few days’ rest in hospital.”
Philip retired from public office in 2017 and rarely appears in public. His most recent public event was a military ceremony at Buckingham Palace in July.
During the current coronavirus blockade in England, the duke stayed at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the queen, who performed duties such as meetings with distant dignitaries.
If closure is allowed, the royal household is planning a holiday to mark Philip’s 100th birthday on June 10.
Philip married Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and is the longest-lived royal consort in British history. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A former naval officer and avid polo player, Philip has enjoyed robust health until his old age, but has had a number of health problems in recent years.
In 2011, he was rushed to a hospital by helicopter after suffering chest pain and being treated for a blocked coronary artery. In 2017, he spent two nights in King Edward VII Hospital and was hospitalized for 10 days in 2018 for a hip replacement.
Philip was last hospitalized in December 2019, spending four nights at King Edward VII Hospital for what the palace said was the planned treatment of a pre-existing condition.
He was forced to give up driving at the age of 97 after hitting a car while driving a Land Rover near the Sandringham property in January 2019. Philip needed help to get out of Land Rover, but no he was injured. A woman in the other vehicle suffered a broken wrist.
Even after that, Philip continued to drive a horse and carriage on private land from time to time.