Prince Philip leaves hospital two weeks after ‘successful’ heart operation

It's exactly a month since the Duke of Edinburgh was first admitted to hospital

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during the transfer of the Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles at Windsor Castle on July 22, 2020 in Windsor, England
(Image credit: Photo by Samir Hussein-Pool/WireImage via Getty)

Prince Philip has left hospital today, two weeks after undergoing a "successful procedure" for a "pre-existing heart condition". 

  • Prince Philip has left King Edward VII’s Hospital today, exactly one month after first being admitted to hospital on February 16 after "feeling unwell". 
  • The Duke of Edinburgh underwent a "successful procedure" at St Bartholomew’s Hospital earlier this month before returning to King Edward VII’s to recuperate. 
  • In other royal news, ITV remove 'misleading' press headlines during Harry and Meghan interview

Prince Philip has left King Edward VII’s Hospital today after spending several days there following a “successful procedure” at St Bartholomew’s. According to The Mirror, the Duke of Edinburgh departed in the back seat of a black BMW, with today marking exactly one month since he was first admitted to hospital. 

The Duke of Edinburgh was first admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital on February 16 as a “precautionary measure” after “feeling unwell”. Following this, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson later confirmed that the Duke had been transferred to St Bartholomew’s where he would receive further treatment for an “infection” as well as undergo “testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition”. 

Soon after this, it was reported that Prince Philip had undergone a “successful procedure" for his pre-existing heart condition and he was later transferred back to King Edward VII’s to recuperate on March 5.

Throughout this difficult time, the Queen has reportedly been “distraught” at her husband’s “health setback” and has been turning to her loved ones for support. Some have claimed that Prince Charles in particular has been a “pillar of strength” for his mother. 

The Prince of Wales visited his father in February due to “exceptional circumstances” during lockdown. Whilst the Duchess of Cornwall later gave a small update on her father-in-law’s condition earlier this month during a visit to a vaccination centre in South London and supposedly revealed he was “slightly improved”. 

It’s understood that this time in hospital is the longest the Duke of Edinburgh has experienced. Whilst the Queen continued to carry out official royal duties throughout this time, she honored her husband of over seven decades by wearing their engagement brooch for a recent video call with health officials leading the deployment of the Covid-19 vaccine in the UK.

Prior to Prince Philip’s admission to hospital, the couple had been spending lockdown together at their Berkshire home, Windsor Castle, after leaving Buckingham Palace last year.

The Queen will no doubt be looking forward to reuniting with her husband as soon as they are able to after being separated throughout his hospital stay. 

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!