Like any other family, the royals have had a lot of ups and downs this year. They had a lot to celebrate with baby Archie's arrival and Princess Beatrice's engagement. They also had a few tough moments, including the Prince Andrew scandal, Prince Philips' car accident and more recently, his hospitalization.
The 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was recently admitted to a London hospital, where he is expected to remain for "a few days."
According to a statement from Buckingham Palace, he is being held for "observation and treatment" at King Edward VII hospital on the advice of his doctor. Palace officials also revealed that the senior royal's hospitalization is done as a precautionary measure in relation to a pre-existing condition.
A spokesperson for the royal confirmed that the trip to the hospital was planned. They added that the Queen, who took her annual holiday trip to her Sandringham just days before, will not visit her husband.
The Duke has had a number of health-related complications in recent years.
According to royal sources, the Duke sustained a bad fall a few months ago. He also suffered from flu-like symptoms around the same time, sparking concern among his loved ones.
"The Duke had a bad fall and was confined to bed for a couple of days," a source tells The Sun. "He didn’t break anything, but it gave everyone a scare."
Earlier this year, Prince Philip was involved in a car crash. He was driving his Lange Rover on January 17, when the vehicle collided with a Kia crossover. Philip's SUV was flipped onto its side, but he got out unscathed. However, two of the passengers in the Kia were taken to hospital. The Duke voluntarily surrendered his licence in the weeks after the collision.
Philip, whose health issues include gout, heart problems and arthritis, underwent hip replacement surgery and spent 10 days in the hospital. In 2011, he was treated for a blocked coronary artery after suffering chest pains.
Despite his frail health, officials say Philip's current condition is no cause for concern. He is expected to be discharged soon, so he can spend Christmas with his family.
He missed the family’s annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace last week for the first time ever. He will also likely skip Christmas Day service just as he did last year.
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At 98, Philip has more than earned his right to stay out of the public eye as much as he wants. As the longest-serving consort to a British monarch, he spent decades fulfilling his royal duties by attending events and supporting charitable causes.
According to Buckingham Palace, he has completed around 22,219 solo engagements since 1952––the year the Queen ascended to the throne.
