Thaindian News

LONDON, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) — Queen Elizabeth II visited her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at a hospital in London on late Wednesday afternoon, two days after he was hospitalized and forced to miss diamond jubilee celebrations due to a bladder infection.

The 90-year-old prince was taken from Windsor Castle to the private King Edward VII Hospital in London on Monday afternoon after developing a bladder infection. Royal officials said Wednesday that his condition has “improved considerably”, but few details are being released.

“The treatment of his infection continues with antibiotics. He is likely to remain in hospital over the next few days. He is in good spirits,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a brief statement. The statement came several hours before the Queen arrived at the central London hospital to briefly visit her husband.

The health scare threw a shadow over celebrations for the Queen’s diamond jubilee and forced Prince Philip to miss a concert attended by some 12,000 people on Monday evening. Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and the youngest son of Prince Philip, said the duke has watched jubilee events on television while in hospital.

Prince Philip appeared to be in good health on Sunday when he accompanied the Queen on the royal barge which formed part of a flotilla on the River Thames. He and the Queen stood for most of the 80-minute journey which saw some 1,000 boats traveling 7 miles (11 kilometers) down the river.

In December 2011, Prince Philip was taken to Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire after experiencing chest pains. Following tests, he was found to have a blocked coronary artery and underwent a ‘minimally invasive’ procedure of coronary stenting. It was the most serious health scare yet for the prince, who is known to be active and robust for his age. He turns 91 on Sunday.