Prince Philip Transferred Back To King Edward VII Hospital After Heart Operation

Prince Philip, the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh, has been transferred back to King Edward VII Hospital in central London after his successful heart operation at St Bartholomew's Hospital earlier this week.

The Duke had been at St Bartholomew's for two days before being moved back to the hospital he knows well on Friday morning.

An ambulance, surrounded by police, was seen at a rear entrance of St Bartholomew's Hospital before driving away with Philip inside.

The Duke is said to be comfortable, but it is expected that he will stay in hospital for a number of days, possibly weeks, until he makes a full recovery.

The palace announced that Prince Philip had a successful procedure for an existing heart condition at St Bartholomew's Hospital on Wednesday, three months before his 100th birthday.

Following the procedure, he was transferred to King Edward VII Hospital for continuing treatment.

This transfer suggests that the Duke's condition is stable and not life-threatening, and the Queen, who is being kept abreast of her husband's condition, will be relieved that he is back at the hospital he knows well.

Buckingham Palace has not given any details about the surgery the Duke underwent, nor are they giving details about his medical condition, which is a private matter.

However, in 2011, Prince Philip had a stent fitted for a blocked coronary artery, which has not caused him any major problems up until now.

Given that Philip is just 14 weeks shy of his 100th birthday, he will be under strict orders to rest.

However, there remains concern that the media circus around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's forthcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey could be upsetting to the Duke.

A family friend told Vanity Fair, “let's hope Philip hasn't been reading too much of what is being said in the newspapers.”

The Duke will no doubt have seen the television news headlines and be aware of the forthcoming interview and what Meghan has already said in promotional clips about the Royal Family.

CBS released a third trailer on Friday morning in which Meghan said she felt liberated since standing down as a working royal.

In another clip released earlier this week, she told how she would no longer be silenced by the Firm, Prince Philip's name for the Royal Family.

It's been a very worrying time for the Royal Family, with Prince Philip spending his 17th night in hospital, his longest ever stay.

The fact that doctors agreed to transfer him back to King Edward VII Hospital suggests that he is making good progress.

The Duke's condition has been kept private, but sources say that he is comfortable and expected to stay in hospital for a few more days.

It is not yet known when he will be discharged from hospital.

The Queen has been speaking regularly to her husband and is being kept abreast of his condition.

The Royal Family will be hoping that he makes a full recovery soon and that he can return home to continue his retirement.