LONDON (AP) – Prince Philip was transferred to a specialist heart hospital in London on Monday to undergo tests and observations for a pre-existing heart condition while continuing treatment for an unspecified infection, Buckingham Palace said.
The 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II was moved from King Edward VII’s Hospital, where he has been treated since February 17, to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, which specializes in heart care. While Philip was taken into a waiting ambulance for the transfer, people held umbrellas open to protect him from photographers and the public.
The palace says Philip “remains comfortable and is responding to treatment, but is expected to stay in the hospital until at least the end of the week.”
Philip was admitted to private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London after feeling ill. Philips disease is not believed to be related to COVID-19. Both he and the queen, 94, received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in early January.
The Bart’s Heart Center is Europe’s largest specialized cardiovascular center, the National Health Service said. The center aims to perform more cardiac surgery, MRI and CT scans than any other service in the world.
Philip, who retired in 2017, rarely appears in public. During the current coronavirus in England, Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, stayed with the Queen at Windsor Castle, west of London.
Philip married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and is the longest-serving royal consort in British history. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.