Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to her convalescing husband Prince Philip in hospital yesterday to help him celebrate his 92nd birthday.
The monarch, 87, smiled as she arrived at the London Clinic, clutching an envelope for her husband in one hand and waving to well-wishers with the other.
The envelope, addressed to “HRH The Duke of Edinburgh”, is believed to have contained a birthday card as Philip turned 92 on Monday.
Philip was admitted to private hospital the London Clinic last week to have exploratory surgery on his abdomen, which has been troubling him for months.
The surgery was a success, but he will remain in hospital for two weeks and have a further two months off official duties after that.
“His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh is progressing according to plans at this early stage,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
“He is comfortable and in good spirits. He will remain in hospital for up to two weeks, and it is expected he will then be taking a period of convalescence of approximately two months.”
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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