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Prince Philip 'responding to treatment' but remains in London hospital with an infection

The Duke of Edinburgh is receiving medical attention for an infection, Buckingham Palace said.
Image: Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrives at Windsor castle in Windsor
Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrives at Windsor castle in Windsor, on July 22, 2020.Adrian Dennis / AFP - Getty Images file

LONDON — Prince Philip, the husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, is responding to treatment for an infection but will remain in a London hospital for the coming days, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Tuesday.

"He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days," the palace said without naming the type or severity of the infection.

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to a London hospital on Feb. 16 as a "precautionary measure" on the advice of his doctor "after feeling unwell," with an ailment that was not related to Covid-19, the Palace has previously said.

Philip, 99, and the queen received the vaccination for Covid-19 in January.

The royal couple have been staying at Windsor Castle, around 30 miles west of London, during the coronavirus pandemic that has pummeled the U.K., which has the highest death toll in Europe.

Philip married the then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and together they have four children — heir to the throne, Prince Charles, born in 1948; Princess Anne, born in 1950; Prince Andrew, born in 1960; and Prince Edward, born in 1964 — along with dozens of grand and great-grandchildren.

A former naval officer and keen polo player, Philip enjoyed robust health well into old age, but he has had a number of health issues in recent years. He retired from public duties in 2017, and is the longest-serving royal consort in British history.

He was last hospitalized in December 2019, when he spent four nights in the hospital for what the palace said was planned treatment of a pre-existing condition, although it did not reveal what that condition was.

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Charles paid him a brief visit in hospital on Saturday, while grandson Prince William told the press on Monday during a visit to a vaccination center, that his grandfather was "OK, they're keeping an eye on him."

Philip's illness comes at a tricky time for the monarchy after it was announced last week that William's younger brother Prince Harry and his American wife, Meghan, would be severing all their official royal duties.

The couple moved with their son, Archie, to California last year, to live a more independent life and escape the British media. Next month they will give a "wide-ranging" interview to U.S. chat show host Oprah Winfrey.

Reuters contributed to this report.