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