Prince Philip was admitted to hospital last night, where he is expected to remain for up to two weeks.
This means the Duke will spend his 92nd birthday, which is on Monday, June 10, in hospital.
Philip checked into the London Clinic, a private facility on Harley Street, last night.
He has been experiencing abdominal pain for months and will undergo exploratory surgery today to try to determine the cause of the discomfort.
“The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to the London Clinic for an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
“He is expected to stay in hospital for up to two weeks. Further updates will be issued when appropriate.”
Philip was forced to pull out of an engagement at the last minute on the weekend, cancelling his appearance at a gala event minutes before it was due to start.
On Tuesday, he attended the service to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation and has carried out six further public engagements since then.
He even made an appearance at yesterday’s Buckingham Palace garden party, leaving the event at around 5.30pm and heading straight to the hospital.
The Duke has been ill with increasing regularity in the past few years.
He took ill during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations last year, spending five nights in hospital with a bladder infection.
The same infection flared up again in August, resulting in another hospitalisation.
The previous Christmas he spent four nights in hospital after heart surgery to clear a blocked coronary artery.
His recent poor health has led to calls for the Duke to slow down. He is currently one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, undertaking 350 engagements a year.
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