LONDON (AP) – Prince Philip has undergone a successful heart procedure at a London hospital and is expected to continue for several days of “rest and recovery,” Buckingham Palace said Thursday.
The palace said Queen Elizabeth II’s 99-year-old husband “underwent successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.”
“His Royal Highness will stay in the hospital for several days for treatment, rest and recovery,” the palace said in a statement.
Philip, 99, has been hospitalized since he was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on February 16, where he was treated for an infection. On Monday he was transferred to a specialized heart hospital, St. Bartholomew’s.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall said Wednesday that Philip’s condition “improved somewhat”.
“We keep our fingers crossed,” said Camilla, who is married to Prince Charles, Philip’s eldest son and the Queen.
Philips disease is not believed to be related to the coronavirus. Both Philip and Frost received COVID-19 vaccinations in January and chose to publicize the matter to encourage others to take the vaccine as well.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, retired in 2017 and rarely appears in public. Before being hospitalized, Philip was in isolation with the Queen at Windsor Castle, west of London.
Although he enjoyed good health into old age, Philip has had heart problems in the past. In 2011, he was taken to a hospital by helicopter after experiencing chest pain and was treated for a blocked coronary artery.
Philip, the longest-serving royal consort in British history, married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
His illness comes as the royal family braces for the airing of an interview conducted by Oprah Winfrey with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Meghan and husband Prince Harry retired from royal duties last year and moved to California, saying the intolerable intruders and racist attitudes of the British media were.
Relations between the couple and the palace seem to have become increasingly tense. On Wednesday, the palace said it was launching a human resources investigation after a newspaper reported that a former assistant accused Meghan of bullying staff in 2018.
In a clip from the pre-recorded Winfrey interview released by CBS, Winfrey asks Meghan how she feels about the palace “hearing your truth today?”
“I don’t know how they could expect that after all this time we would still be silent if there was an active role the firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us,” said the Duchess.
“The Firm” is a nickname for the royal family, sometimes with affection and sometimes with a hint of criticism.