96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh admitted " as a precautionary measure" as Buckingham Palace says pre-existing condition causing new infection
LONDON — British Queen Elizabeth II’s 96-year-old husband, Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, was hospitalized on Tuesday evening in London to receive treatment for an infection, Buckingham Palace said in a statement Wednesday morning.
The prince’s illness meant he would miss the queen giving her official speech to open a new session of Parliament later on Wednesday.
The palace said Philip was admitted, « as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. »
The statement did not go into further detail on his illness, but said he was, « in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the State Opening of Parliament, » and the royal couple’s annual pilgrimage to the Royal Ascot horse race.
Queen Elizabeth was « being kept informed » of her husband’s condition as she prepared to address the nation’s gathered legislators — and the nation at large — in the televised speech, which is used to lay out the elected government’s key policy plans and ambitions for the coming months.
Philip retired from public life on May 4 this year, announcing that he would no longer play an « active role » in the dozens of organizations for which he has served as a member and patron for decades.
The prince has been hospitalized several times in recent years for issues relating to abdominal complaints and bladder infections .
