Prince Charles says his father Prince Philip is being looked after ‘very well’ in hospital, but did not reveal whether he would be home by Christmas or not.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, has been in hospital since Friday morning after battling ‘flu-like’ illness for weeks and suffering a ‘bad fall’.
He was flown from the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk to the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, London amid growing concern for his health.
Speaking about his father to reporters as he visited the flood-hit village of Fishlake this afternoon, Prince Charles said: ‘He’s being looked after very well in hospital.
‘At the moment that’s all we know.’
Police officers were pictured outside the hospital where the Duke of Edinburgh is being cared for this afternoon.
Speaking about Prince Philip to reporters as he visited the flood-hit village of Fishlake this afternoon, Prince Charles said: ‘He’s being looked after very well in hospital’
Police officers outside King Edward VII Hospital in London today, where the Duke of Edinburgh is being treated, having arrived at the hospital on Friday
It is still unclear what exactly he is suffering with, after Buckingham Palace stressed that he was not an emergency case and was being treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’.
Philip ‘doesn’t want any fuss’ in the wake of his hospital treatment and has told his family to ‘carry on as usual’ with their festive celebrations.
It comes after a subdued Saturday at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where the Queen is thought to have postponed her normal routine of visiting the Royal stud on the first day of her festive break.
The Queen normally tours the stud on the 20,000-acre estate soon after arriving from London to see her horses and the staff who care for them.
While staff appeared to be preparing for a Royal arrival yesterday morning, the Queen seemingly did not visit.
In another apparent break from routine, there was no Saturday pheasant shoot, despite it being the height of the shooting season.
In recent years, Philip has watched shoots at Sandringham from the warmth of a Land Rover.
The palace has repeatedly insisted that Philip’s condition is not considered serious or an emergency.
It has also been said that no senior members of the Royal Family intend to visit the 98-year-old and ‘will not be changing long-held plans’.
Royal sources said that he was expected to remain in hospital for a few days, raising the prospect that he could be discharged in time to join the Queen and other senior Royals at Sandringham on Christmas Eve.
The Royal Family traditionally lay out their presents on trestle tables on December 24 and exchange their gifts at tea time.
On Christmas Day, they attend morning service at the nearby St Mary Magdalene Church.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales arrived in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, to see the impact of the severe flooding that hit the village last month.
Charles, 71, met firefighters, police and soldiers on the outskirts before walking into the village, which was hit by ‘biblical’ levels of rain.
He will then tour Fishlake, visiting homes and local businesses, including The Old Butcher’s Café and Hare and Hounds pub that have suffered because of the floods.
Charles will also meet volunteers and witness the relief efforts in St Cuthbert’s Church which has been converted into a temporary goods store and support centre.
Charles, 71, met firefighters, police and soldiers on the outskirts before walking into the village of Fishlake, near Doncaster. He also provided an update on the health of Prince Philip
Charles will tour Fishlake, visiting homes and local businesses, including The Old Butcher’s Café and Hare and Hounds pub that have suffered because of the floods
Finally, he will attend a reception in the Town Hall with people from Fishlake, Bentley and Stainforth that have been involved in the recovery and rescue work.
More than 1,000 homes and 200 businesses were affected by the horrifying flooding last month, with many of the properties utterly devastated.
The rebuilding process is expected to last well until next year with residents unable to get home in time for Christmas.
Entire ground floors of properties have been destroyed, with homeowners still desperately trying to dry out walls and plasterboard.
Many of the flood-affected villagers have ’emptied their lives’ into skips and piles of rubbish lay strewn in people’s gardens.
The village of Fishlake, Doncaster, submerged under flood water in November after heavy rains devastated the village
Entire ground floors of properties have been destroyed, with homeowners still desperately trying to dry out walls and plasterboard
Josh Knaggs works on his uncle’s home in Fishlake, where he is having to strip off sodden plaster down to the mortar so it can be replaced
The inside of the house, showing where Mr Knaggs has stripped off the plaster. Lots more work remains to return the house to its previous condition
Allen Buck, a resident of Fishlake, South Yorkshire, continues the clean up after his bungalow flooded in November
Volunteer Ruth Pridham with products donated to St Cuthbert’s Church in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, to help victims of the November flooding
Skips filled with rubble from water damaged homes in Fishlake, South Yorkshire, after the area flooded in November
Fields that were submerged when the River Don burst its banks have been left damaged and previously lush green grass left covered with large patches of mud.
Dramatic drone photographs from the time show the devastation in the village, near Doncaster, as roads and fields were turned into rivers.
Clarence House confirmed that Charles had made donations to flood relief funds in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
The donations, made through the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation, have been made to Foundation Derbyshire’s flood relief fund and another to the South Yorkshire Community Foundation.
They have been matched by the Duke of Westminster.