Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has been admitted to hospital in London just hours after receiving New Zealand’s highest honour.
The prince is due to undergo “an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations”.
Philip (91) was awarded the Order of New Zealand by the Queen in the presence of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir Lockwood Smith, at Buckingham Palace, before attending a garden party in the palace’s grounds.
Although he had been feeling “under the weather” since Monday, when he missed an engagement at the palace, Philip, who turns 92 on June 10, was seen smiling and joking at the garden party before being taken to the London Clinic.
A palace spokesperson said, “His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to the London Clinic for an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations. He is expected to stay in hospital for up to two weeks.”
The operation will take place today, and the palace says that the “planned admission” is in no way connection to the prince’s illness earlier in the week. “He is in very good health,” the spokesperson said. “He felt unwell on Monday and missed an engagement but that was down to the fact that he had temporarily lost his voice.”
It has not been confirmed if any members of the royal family will be visiting Philip in the coming days.
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