The Duke of Edinburgh was today transferred by ambulance to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London for ‘testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition’ following a two-week stay at King Edward VII Hospital.
Prince Philip, 99, spent 14 days at the hospital in Marylebone having initially been admitted for a ‘few days’ on February 16 as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell, making this his longest ever stay in hospital.
This morning, he was shielded from public view with a series of umbrellas held up as he made his way into a waiting ambulance at the rear of King Edward VII Hospital where he had been receiving treatment for an infection.
Philip – who was today said to remain ‘comfortable’ – will continue to receive treatment for the infection at St Bartholomew’s in the City of London, where he is expected to remain ‘until at least the end of the week’.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said at 12.30pm today: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh was today transferred from King Edward VII’s Hospital to St Bartholomew’s Hospital where doctors will continue to treat him for an infection, as well as undertake testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition. The Duke remains comfortable and is responding to treatment but is expected to remain in hospital until at least the end of the week.’
Staff use umbrellas to shield someone getting into an ambulance outside the rear of King Edward VII Hospital in London today
The Duke of Edinburgh, pictured during the transfer of the Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles at Windsor Castle on July 22 last year
The Duke of Edinburgh was transferred from King Edward VII Hospital to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London this morning
An ambulance is seen leaving King Edward VII Hospital in London this morning which has been treating Prince Philip
Hospital staff stand next to an ambulance outside King Edward VII Hospital today, where Prince Philip was admitted
Police officers stand guard outside the St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London today where Prince Philip is now being treated
St Bartholomew’s Hospital, pictured today, describes itself as a ‘centre of excellence for both cardiac and cancer care’
St Bartholomew’s – commonly known as Barts – describes itself as an ‘internationally renowned hospital’ and a ‘centre of excellence for both cardiac and cancer care’, located near St Paul’s Cathedral.
The site includes Europe’s largest specialised cardiovascular service at Barts Health Centre, while Barts Cancer Centre has a ‘global reputation for treating common and rare cancers’, according to the hospital.
Royal expert Phil Dampier said today: ‘Must be good news that Prince Philip is being treated at a second hospital. If he’d gone home in an ambulance I’d be worried. Here’s hoping he can leave soon and walk out.’
Philip has been patron of the British Heart Foundation since the charity was founded in 1961. In March 2017, he hosted a reception at St James’s Palace to mark 55 years in the role, during which he met volunteers, donors, researchers and supporters of the organisation.
In December 2011, the Duke had treatment for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire, which was described as ‘a significant health scare’ by the BBC at the time.
And in October, a royal courtier revealed to the Daily Mirror that Philip had been battling a secret heart condition for 15 years. They claimed that he took regular medication with staff briefed to take him to hospital immediately if he was short of breath or dizzy.
The newspaper reported at the time that aides had been told ‘not to take no for an answer’ amid warnings that Philip could have a heart attack at any time.
Today, shortly after 11am, a patient was taken away from King Edward VII Hospital in an ambulance, but umbrellas screened them from press and broadcast cameras waiting outside as they were leaving the hospital and entering an ambulance.
A marked police van blocked the side street at the the exclusive private hospital on Beaumont Street, and a police presence ensured the road was clear.
Uniformed officers also stood along the street beside the hospital to keep traffic and passers by moving.
At a rear entrance, umbrellas were used to shield the gap between the hospital and the NHS ambulance.
While the Palace did not officially confirm whether the ambulance was for the Duke, ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship tweeted: ‘We can only imagine – although we don’t know – this was for Prince Philip.’
St Bartholomew’s Hospital is Britain’s oldest hospital, and Barts Heart Centre, based in its state-of-the-art King George V building, has ten theatres, ten cath labs and more than 300 general, cardiac and critical care beds.
The NHS said the centre aspires to perform more heart surgery, MRI and CT scans than any other service in the world. A specialist heart attack centre delivers emergency care 24 hours a day, with rapid access to a team with specialist expertise and equipment.
In January 2020 the service was rated number one for cardiac arrest survival rates in London, the NHS said, and the hospital will celebrate its 900th birthday in 2023.
Police officers stand outside the exclusive King Edward VII Hospital in London’s Marylebone this morning
Police officers stand outside King Edward VII Hospital this morning where Prince Philip was treated for 14 days
Police at King Edward VII Hospital in London this morning, where the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted on February 16
Police cars are pictured outside King Edward VII Hospital in London this morning where 99-year-old Philip was being treated
Prince Charles visited the Duke of Edinburgh at King Edward VII Hospital in London on the afternoon of February 20
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited St. Bartholomew’s Hospital on October 20 last year as they met medical staff
The Duke was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital last month as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell – and he walked into the building unaided.
St Bartholomew’s is UK’s oldest hospital with excellence in cardiac care
The Duke of Edinburgh has been transferred to a hospital which is a centre of excellence for cardiac care.
St Bartholomew’s Hospital, part of Barts Health NHS Trust, is in the City of London close to St Paul’s Cathedral, and is Britain’s oldest hospital.
Barts Heart Centre, based in the hospital’s state-of-the-art King George V building, is Europe’s largest specialised cardiovascular centre, according to the NHS website. It has 10 theatres, 10 cath labs and more than 300 general, cardiac and critical care beds.
The NHS said the centre aspires to perform more heart surgery, MRI and CT scans than any other service in the world. A specialist heart attack centre delivers dedicated emergency care 24 hours a day, with rapid access to a team with specialist expertise and equipment.
In January 2020 the service was rated number one for cardiac arrest survival rates in London, according to the NHS website. The website says St Bartholomew’s is Britain’s oldest hospital, set to celebrate its 900th birthday in 2023.
Buckingham Palace said in an update last Wednesday that he was ‘comfortable’ and responding to treatment, also revealing that the stay was related to an ‘infection’.
Both Philip and the 94-year-old Queen received Covid-19 vaccinations last month – and his hospital stays are not related to coronavirus.
The only member of the Royal Family known to have visited him so far is Prince Charles, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire to see his father on February 20.
The Queen’s ex-press secretary Dickie Arbiter previously said Philip was likely to have ‘requested’ his eldest son’s presence to discuss the future of the Royal Family.
This was given recent developments with Buckingham Palace revealing on February 19 that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would not return as senior royals following the announcement of ‘Megxit’ last year.
The Duke, who is just three months away from his 100th birthday on June 10, has also spoken to other members of the Royal Family on the phone while in hospital.
The Queen has remained at Windsor Castle where Philip had previously been staying before being taken to King Edward VII Hospital two weeks ago.
Last Tuesday, the Earl of Wessex said Philip was ‘a lot better’ when Buckingham Palace announced that the Duke would spend several more days in hospital being treated for the infection.
Prince Edward told Sky News at the time: ‘He’s a lot better, thank you very much indeed, and he’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing, so we keep our fingers crossed.’
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited St Bartholomew’s Hospital on October 20 last year as they met medical staff and marked the launch of the nationwide ‘Hold Still’ community photography project.
Prince William and Kate Middleton met a small number of staff from the hospital, including pharmacist and photographer Joyce Duah and the two pharmacy technician colleagues she photographed writing on their PPE as they put it on, in a photograph that was selected to be in the set of 100 images taken during the lockdown.