Queen visits Prince Philip after heart surgery
Duke of Edinburgh in Cambridgeshire hospital recovering after stenting procedure to remedy a blocked coronary artery
The Queen has visited the Duke of Edinburgh in hospital, where he has received treatment for a blocked coronary artery.
She arrived from Sandringham in the royal helicopter, and was driven in a Range Rover to the Cambridgeshire hospital where her husband is recovering. She was accompanied by their son Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Prince Philip, 90, had "a good night" after undergoing an operation, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday morning.
He had suffered chest pains and was taken by helicopter from Sandringham in Norfolk to the specialist cardiothoracic unit at Papworth hospital in Cambridgeshire on Friday night. He underwent a successful "invasive procedure of coronary stenting".
Buckingham Palace gave an update on his condition, saying "the Duke of Edinburgh has had a good night".
The royal family has gathered at the Queen's private estate for Christmas and will attend the Christmas Day morning service at St Mary Magdalene church. Prince Philip is expected to remain in hospital for observation for a "short period" and receive a visit from some of his relatives.
If he makes good progress, he could reportedly be back among them for Christmas Day, or the Boxing Day shoot, which he was expected to lead.
Dr Simon Davies, consultant intervention cardiologist at the Royal Brompton hospital in London, said the duke may have been on the verge of a heart attack or actually had one before the stenting procedure was performed.
"They [surgeons] have put a miniature sausage-shaped balloon down the artery, pushed the balloon into the narrowed section and then blown it up. That forces the material that is blocking the artery outwards and then gets the blood flowing down the artery again.
"The stent is like a little metal sleeve fitted over the balloon when it is blown up. This metallic sleeve is opened up and then when the balloon i! s deflat ed and withdrawn the stent stays behind."
Among the well-wishers braving the winter cold outside the hospital was Terry Hutt, 76, who had driven from nearby Cambridge.
The grandfather of three, a retired carpenter, brought the duke a gift to wish him a swift recovery.
Mr Hutt said: "I've brought him a Father Christmas doll because I don't think he's a man of flowers.
"It's sad to have to come here for news but it's good news so far so I really hope he can come out to spend Christmas with his family, like everyone else."
This is the most serious health scare suffered by the Prince Philip, who is known for being robust and active. He has belied his years by carrying on with his many royal engagements and in October joined the Queen for an intensive 11-day tour of Australia.
The last time he was admitted to hospital for any length of time was in April 2008 when he was ill with a chest infection for a number of days and eventually admitted for treatment. But even with the respiratory problem he walked into the medical institution and walked out three days later, making a full recovery.
The former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said the news was "very sad" and "clearly disruptive" for the royal family at Christmas.
The duke would normally have been welcoming guests to Sandringham, which is set in 60 acres of gardens.
Christmas Eve is an important day for the royals as they follow the German tradition of opening their presents then something Queen Victoria and Prince Albert did. The festive weekend will also see the Duchess of Cambridge spending her first Christmas as a member of the royal family.
Hugo Vickers, a writer and commentator on the royals, told the BBC the Duke would normally think being rushed to hospital was a big fuss. He said: "He would go to hospital if he needed to, otherwise he would reckon the whole thing was a load of nonsense.
"He's a man who likes to get on with things and he has a wonderful habit of bouncing back fro! m things like this and let's hope he'll do so on this occasion too."
He added that the Duke was "incredibly active" and despite saying before his 90th birthday that he intended to slow down. However, despite stepping down as president or patron of more than a dozen organisations, he has remained busy.
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