Prince Philip, 98, discharged from hospital after four nights, will join Queen for Christmas at Sandringham
Prince Philip, 98, has left the hospital in time to be able to spend Christmas with the Queen and other members of the royal family.
The Duke of Edinburgh had spent around four nights in the King Edward VII’s hospital located in central London. He was seen leaving the hospital at around 8.49 am on Christmas Eve. He walked out of the hospital alongside a nurse and then got into a car that was waiting for him in a secluded street.
He was seen thanking medical staff before getting into the front seat of the Land Rover Discovery. Police were seen standing guard around the hospital along with many royal protection officers. He was driven back to Buckingham Palace after which he caught a helicopter believed to be headed to Sandringham where the royal family will gather for Christmas.
As reported by Metro, Prince Philip had gone to the hospital on Friday and the Buckingham Palace had shared it was a 'precautionary measure' for a pre-existing condition.
When Prince Charles was asked about his father's health, he responded saying, "He’s being looked after very well in hospital. At the moment that’s all we know."
The Duke had turned 98 in June and has generally been in good health. He also recovered well from a planned hip replacement operation in April last year.
Earlier this year in January, Philip escaped with minor injuries after being in a dramatic car crash near Sandringham. However, in the last decade, he has been admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery, bladder infections and a blocked coronary artery.
Philip had made a decision to step back from public duties in 2017. At the time, Buckingham Palace had released a statement saying that his decision to do so was not at all health-related.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children will join the Queen at Sandringham for Christmas, however, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be attending the traditional service.