Queen's Husband Prince Philip Undergoes Exploratory Surgery

News_Editor · June 8, 2013

LONDON, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) -- Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip underwent exploratory surgery on his abdomen on Friday, and doctors will now analyze the results while he remains hospitalized at a private hospital in the British capital of London, the royal palace said.

The 91-year-old prince walked into London Clinic on Thursday after attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace just hours earlier. He underwent exploratory surgery on Friday following abdominal investigations, but few details about the exact nature of the problem have not been released.

"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has had an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations. The results will now be analyzed," the palace said in a brief statement. "At this early stage he is progressing satisfactorily. Further updates will continue to be issued when appropriate."

Prince Philip is likely to spend his 92nd birthday on Monday at the private hospital as Buckingham Palace previously said the prince is expected to remain hospitalized for up to two weeks. The queen's husband is known to be active and robust for his age, although he suffered several minor health scares in recent years.

The prince was hospitalized in June 2012 after developing a bladder infection, just a day after accompanying his wife on a royal barge that formed part of a flotilla on the River Thames to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee. It followed a hospitalization in December 2011, during which Prince Philip was found to have a blocked coronary artery and he underwent a 'minimally invasive' procedure of coronary stenting.