It’s Britain’s bravest traffic warden: As Prince Philip, 99, spends his third night in hospital, his royal protection officers’ Range Rover gets a PARKING TICKET
- Royal protection officers found Range Rover had been given fixed penalty notice
- Witness claimed the car was parked on double yellow lines for ‘a couple of hours’
- Ticket was removed by one officer when they came out and moved the vehicle
- Duke of Edinburgh is preparing for his third night in the King Edward VII Hospital
- Royal author Penny Junor said Prince Philip, who was admitted over a non-Covid related illness, would be ‘outspoken’ if he felt people were making fuss over him
Prince Philip spent a third night in hospital last night – as a ticket-happy official outside tried to lay claim to the title of Britain’s bravest traffic warden.
As the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, remained in King Edward VII’s Hospital, royal protection officers found their Range Rover given a fixed penalty notice.
The fine was attached to the windscreen after it was left on double yellow lines as the protection officers went inside for ‘a couple of hours’, a witness said.
Britain’s bravest traffic warden: Picture shows a Parking Warden putting a parking ticket on a royal protection officers Range Rover on a yellow line outside the King Edward V11 Hospital
Duke of Edinburgh leaves the King Edward VII hospital in west London on December 24, 2019
When they emerged, one of the officers removed the ticket and the car was moved.
The duke was admitted to the hospital in central London on Tuesday evening as a ‘precautionary measure’ on his doctor’s advice after feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace has said.
As the nation hoped for his swift recovery, royal author Penny Junor joked yesterday that hospital staff probably would not want Philip, who turns 100 on June 10, on their shift due to his aversion to people making a fuss.
She told BBC Breakfast: ‘He can be quite blunt and I think if he felt people were fussing over him he could be quite outspoken about that.
This is a man who doesn’t want any fuss made of his 100th birthday, so the fact he’s in hospital and getting some fuss made of him will really irritate him.’
Philip was reported last year to be unconcerned about becoming a centenarian. But sources say his view has modified and he is rather reluctantly looking forward to reaching the milestone.
The Duke of Edinburgh is preparing for his third night at the King Edward VII hospital for a non-Covid related illness and decision to admit him was taken with an ‘abundance’ of caution
It is understood a doctor was called after Philip felt unwell for a short period at Windsor Castle, where he has been spending lockdown with the Queen, 94.
Royal sources said the duke was taken to the hospital by car, where he walked in unaided. He is said to be in good spirits.
A source said his illness was not Covid-related. The Queen and Philip were vaccinated last month, Buckingham Palace took the unusual step of revealing.
On Wednesday, the Palace said: ‘The duke is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest.’
Philip was last in hospital in December 2019, when he spent four nights at King Edward VII’s being treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’ before being discharged on Christmas Eve.
The duke retired from public duties in 2017 but made a rare public appearance at Windsor last July 2020 for the official handover of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles to his daughter-in-law Camilla.
Prince Philip, 99, prepares for third night in hospital – as it’s revealed the Queen and Duke ‘enjoyed lunch and dinner together’ most days in Windsor because the pandemic proved the ‘perfect royal cocooning’
By James Robinson, Mark Duell, James Gant and Jack Elsom
Prince Philip is preparing for a third night in hospital as it was revealed the Queen and Duke ‘enjoyed lunch and dinner together’ most days in Windsor because the pandemic proved the ‘perfect royal cocooning’.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, will stay at King Edward VII’s Hospital in London again this evening for an undisclosed reason – which is not coronavirus-related.
Royal sources revealed the ‘sprightly’ Duke was ‘in very good humour’ before his admission following a ‘short period’ of feeling unwell.
He reportedly remains in ‘good spirits’ and is said to have walked unaided into the hospital on Tuesday. The move is said to be a ‘precautionary measure’.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have spent more time under the same roof together during the coronavirus lockdown than they have in many years.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said it provided ‘an opportunity for them in their later years to reconnect’ and was the ‘perfect royal cocooning’.
Meanwhile a royal biographer has claimed the ‘blunt’ Prince is unlikely to be an ideal patient because he ‘doesn’t like people making a fuss over him’.
Penny Junor joked doctors and nurses at the private hospital in London probably ‘would not want’ the Duke of Edinburgh on their shift as he gets ‘irritated’ by people making a fuss of him.
The Queen, 94, who yesterday carried on with her royal duties as she spoke by telephone to the First Sea Lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, about the work of the Royal Navy, has remained at Windsor Castle.
It was announced on January 9 both the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen had received their first doses of the vaccine, because their age put them in one of the high-risk categories.
Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed if they have received their second jab, which boosts immunity and is supposed to be administered 12 weeks later – although some Britons have received their second shots sooner.
Of the 15,940,972 who have received jabs, 558,577 have had their second dose – while it was revealed a further 315,797 people had theirs yesterday.
November 2020: The last photograph of Philip, where the Duke and Queen looked at the homemade card given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis ahead of their 73rd wedding anniversary
Royal biographer Penny Junor (pictured) joked that medics at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London probably ‘would not want’ the Duke of Edinburgh on their shift as he gets ‘irritated’ by people making a fuss of him
King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, where the Duke was taken as a ‘precautionary measure’ on the advice of his doctor
The Duke of Edinburgh reportedly remains in ‘good spirits’ and is said to have walked unaided into the hospital (pictured left: Hospital security staff is seen at the entrance of King Edward VII Hospital). The move is said to be a ‘precautionary measure’, while his illness is not related to Covid, say palace sources. Pictured right: Police and security outside the hospital)
Police officers stand at the entrance of The King Edward VII hospital where Prince Philip, who turns 100 this year, is currently receiving treatment
The Duke of Edinburgh was last night admitted to hospital on the advice of his doctor after feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace has said (pictured at Balmoral in August 2020)
Before the pandemic, Philip, who was admitted to hospital on Tuesday, was mostly at his cottage, Wood Farm, in the sanctuary of the Sandringham estate, more than 100 miles away from the Queen, who was usually at Buckingham Palace or at Windsor.
But they were reunited at the Berkshire castle for their safety after Philip was flown there by helicopter on March 19, 2020, ahead of the restriction on movements amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Mr Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said it provided ‘an opportunity for them in their later years to reconnect’ and was the ‘perfect royal cocooning’.
The couple are being attended to at Windsor by a reduced household of around 20 staff dubbed HMS Bubble.
The monarch and Philip most likely have lunch or dinner together each day while spending other time on their separate interests.
FROM A BLOCKED CORONARY ARTERY TO A URINARY INFECTION, PRINCE PHILIP’S AILMENTS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS
Prince Philip has enjoyed excellent health for a 98-year-old and still enjoys an active lifestyle.
But in recent years he has struggled a little more with illness, suffering from a number of ailments over the past decade, including:
· December 2011, four days in hospital: Prince Philip is airlifted to Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire from Sandringham two days before Christmas after suffering chest pains, and undergoes surgery for a blocked coronary artery
· June 2012, six days: Philip is taken to hospital after developing a urinary infection during the river pageant to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
· June 2013, 11 days: He has abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition and spends his 92nd birthday in hospital
· December 2016: Both the Queen and Philip suddenly cancel plans to leave London for their festive break in Norfolk after they both come down with heavy colds
· June 2016: The Duke pulls out of a Battle of Jutland anniversary event citing a minor ailment
· June 2017, three days: Philip is admitted to hospital as ‘a precautionary measure’ for an infection arising from a pre-existing condition
· April 2018, 11 days: The Duke spends nearly a fortnight in hospital following his successful hip replacement
· December 2019, five days: He is treated at King Edward Hospital in London for a ‘pre-existing condition’
Philip, who stepped down from public duties in 2017, usually keeps himself busy reading, writing and painting, and even released a rare public statement in April 2020, his first since his retirement, praising key workers and those making sure that essential services are kept running during the pandemic.
As well as enjoying riding her fell ponies in Windsor Home Park, the Queen has her official duties to deal with, including her red boxes of papers and regular telephone audiences, along with video-calls as royal duties changed in an unprecedented way.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Ms Junor, who wrote the biographies of both Princess Diana and Prince Charles, said she thinks the ‘blunt’ Prince could be a tough patient to deal with.
She said: ‘I think he can be quite blunt and I think if he felt people were fussing over him he could be quite outspoken about that.
‘This is a man who doesn’t want any fuss made of his 100th birthday, so the fact he’s in hospital and getting some fuss made of him will really irritate him.’
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: ‘His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London, on Tuesday evening.
‘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.’
Boris Johnson led the nation in sending his best wishes to the Duke for a speedy recovery.
A No10 spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister sends his best wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh as he undergoes a few days of rest in hospital.’
Police officers were yesterday standing guard outside the private central London hospital where Philip is being treated.
The Duke will celebrate his 100th birthday on June 10, around the same time Harry and Meghan are expecting their second child.
Reinforcements were seen trooping towards the front entrance later as television cameras began arriving.
Philip’s hospitalisation is not being treated as an emergency and it appeared senior royals were sticking to their duties.
The Queen yesterday had a telephone call with the First Sea Lord for an update on the Royal Navy’s operations.
The Royal Navy tweeted: ‘This afternoon the First Sea Lord (Admiral Tony Radakin) had a telephone audience with Her Majesty The Queen to provide an update on Royal Navy operations and the well-being of our people throughout the pandemic.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla continued to carry out their first royal duties of the year, meeting volunteers taking part in clinical vaccine trials in Birmingham.
Prince William and Kate are at their Norfolk residence, Anmer Hall, Prince Harry and Meghan are in California and Princess Anne is at her Gatcombe Park house in Gloucestershire.
The Queen and Prince Philip have been spending lockdown at Windsor and had a quiet Christmas at the Berkshire residence after deciding to forgo the traditional royal family gathering at Sandringham.
They have been getting by with a reduced 20-strong staff – dubbed HMS Bubble – to minimise their contact with the outside world and the risk of spreading Covid.
Philip, who stepped down from public duties in 2017, keeps himself busy reading, writing and painting, and even released a rare public statement in April 2020, his first since his retirement, praising key workers and those making sure essential services are kept running during the pandemic.
Last month it was revealed the Duke and the Queen had received their first dose of the vaccine
Prince Philip’s hospitalisation is not being treated as an emergency and his son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla continued to carry out their first royal duties of the year, meeting volunteers taking part in clinical vaccine trials in Birmingham
Queen keeps calm and carries on: Monarch chats with First Sea Lord 24 hours after Prince Philip is taken to hospital
The Queen continued to carry out royal duties yesterday despite Philip’s hospital admission.
She had a telephone call with the First Sea Lord, the Navy revealed.
The Royal Navy tweeted: ‘This afternoon the First Sea Lord (Admiral Tony Radakin) had a telephone audience with Her Majesty The Queen to provide an update on Royal Navy operations and the well-being of our people throughout the pandemic.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla also pressed ahead with their first royal duties of the year, meeting volunteers taking part in clinical vaccine trials in Birmingham.
Meanwhile the Queen has served as a symbol of national stability during the pandemic, delivering two rare televised addresses to the nation just weeks apart.
The last photograph of Philip was in November, when the Palace released pictures of him and the monarch inspecting a homemade 73rd wedding anniversary card made by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Philip has suffered a number of ailments over the years, including being treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire in December 2011 and a bladder infection in June 2012, forcing him to miss the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Exploratory surgery on his abdomen followed in June 2013 and he began to use hearing aids by 2014, aged 93.
He later pulled out of a Battle of Jutland anniversary event in June 2016 citing a minor ailment which was followed soon after by his retirement from public duty in 2017.
He spent four nights at King Edward Hospital in December 2019, where he was treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’ and was later discharged on Christmas Eve. The Duke was then driven to Sandringham and spent Christmas with the Queen.
The King Edward Hospital, which only has 56 beds across its wards, has also been used by the Queen, Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge.
A car crash while driving at the age of 97 left him shocked and shaken but miraculously uninjured. He surrendered his driving licence three weeks later.
Shortly after his hospitalisation was announced at around 2pm on Wednesday, the first well-wishers began to take to social media.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘Really sorry to hear that HRH the Duke of Edinburgh is in hospital. Sending him my best wishes for a speedy recovery.’
Tory MP Alexander Stafford tweeted: ‘Wishing His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh a speedy recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with him today.
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), of which Philip has been a patron, also wished the Duke well.
Its chief executive Neil Heslop told MailOnline: ‘We are very sorry to hear The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery.
‘He has been a champion of our work on behalf of charities for many years.’
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