The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was admitted to hospital on Tuesday as a “precautionary measure.”
“His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the King Edward VII hospital in London, on Tuesday evening,” said a statement from Buckingham Palace.
“The Duke’s admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor, after feeling unwell. The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest.”
In December 2019, the Prince spent four days in hospital for observation and to treat an unspecified pre-existing condition.
The Prince and the Queen were sheltering at Windsor. The Prince had been feeling unwell for a short while and was taken to hospital, which he entered unaided, according to reports. The Queen remains in Windsor.
“The Prime Minister sends his best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh as he undergoes a few days of rest in hospital,” said a spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Both the Queen and the Prince received their first jabs of the COVID-19 vaccination in January. They celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in November.
The Prince retired from public duties in 2017 and makes very few public appearances.
The story of the Prince’s wedding to the Queen is told in hit Netflix series “The Crown.” The series also observes his part in the drama surrounding the relationship between his son Prince Charles, and daughter-in-law Princess Diana.
Prince Philip, who turns 100 in June, is the third-longest living royal. Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, lived for 102 years and 309 days, while Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother lived to 101 years and 238 days.