Prince Charles visits his father Prince Philip at King Edward VII hospital

The Prince of Wales has arrived at King Edward VII’s hospital in London to visit his father the Duke of Edinburgh.   

Prince Charles arrived at the back of the London hospital where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday. He is expected to remain in hospital until next week.

His son, 72, was pictured wearing a face mask as he walked from his car into the hospital.

Today is Philip’s fifth day in the private facility in London and comes as the fallout from the news about Harry and Meghan’s departure from working royal life continues.

He is understood to have been aware the announcement on Harry and Meghan was due to be released yesterday.

The Duke of Edinburgh is having ‘observation and rest’ after being admitted earlier this week after feeling unwell. 

Charles was pictured arriving to see him as the King Edward hospital’s website said visitors will only be considered in ‘exceptional circumstances’. 

The Prince of Wales has arrived at King Edward VII’s hospital in London to visit his father the Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Charles arrived at the back of the London hospital where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday

Prince Charles arrived at the back of the London hospital where Philip, the 99-year-old husband of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has been since Tuesday

Prince Charles’s visit to the hospital to see his father comes a day after he appeared alongside his wife the Duchess of Cornwall in a video message to urge ethnic minorities ignore fake news and get their Covid jabs.

Prince Charles, 72, who along with the Duchess of Cornwall, 73, has had his first coronavirus jab, told of his concern about the ‘variable uptake’ among black and Asian Britons. 

Philip, 99, was described as being in ‘good spirits’ after he walked unaided into King Edward VII Hospital on Tuesday evening on the advice of his doctor.

A Royal source said: ‘Following consultation with his doctor he is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week. As we have said previously the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution. The Duke remains in good spirits.’ 

The Queen had told him of Meghan and Harry’s decision to not return as working members of the Royal Family and the statement she was going to release on the development.

Philip and Harry had always shared a close bond but a recent book suggested he had been left bewildered by his decision to walk away from the Royal Family.

Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, said the Duke of Edinburgh ‘walked away’ from the situation after feeling that his advice was being ignored.

Seward’s book said: ‘For Philip, whose entire existence has been based on a devotion to doing his duty, it appeared that his grandson had abdicated his for the sake of his marriage to an American divorcee in much the same way as Edward VIII gave up his crown to marry Wallis Simpson in 1936.’

Philip, pictured above in 2013, is expected to remain in hospital until next week. He was admitted on Tuesday after feeling unwell

Philip, pictured above in 2013, is expected to remain in hospital until next week. He was admitted on Tuesday after feeling unwell

The Duke of Edinburgh (left) and the Duke of Sussex (right) laugh together following the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at Windsor Castle in May 2019

The Duke of Edinburgh (left) and the Duke of Sussex (right) laugh together following the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at Windsor Castle in May 2019

Prince Charles wore a grey suit and blue tie and was pictured being flanked by a protection officer as he got out of his car

Prince Charles wore a grey suit and blue tie and was pictured being flanked by a protection officer as he got out of his car

The Prince wore a disposable face mask to visit his father, who is due to celebrate his 100th birthday in June

The Prince wore a disposable face mask to visit his father, who is due to celebrate his 100th birthday in June

The Prince was driven to the hospital in a Tesla electric car before he was seen walking into the back of the facility

The Prince was driven to the hospital in a Tesla electric car before he was seen walking into the back of the facility

Prince Charles sat in the front seat of his car and was wearing a disposable coronavirus face mask. He is believed to be the first person to have visited Prince Philip since he arrived in hospital on Tuesday

Prince Charles sat in the front seat of his car and was wearing a disposable coronavirus face mask. He is believed to be the first person to have visited Prince Philip since he arrived in hospital on Tuesday

It had been claimed on Friday Harry was self-isolating at home in Montecito, California, so he can fly back to Britain at short notice if Philip’s condition worsens, but the Palace’s announcement appears to have thrown this into some doubt.

Harry, who lives in a £11million mansion with his pregnant wife Meghan and son Archie, was also said to have arranged to fly by private jet at short notice if needed.

He would be tested for coronavirus before leaving the US and upon arriving in Britain – and it is not clear if Meghan would travel, reported the Daily Mirror.

Today is Philip's fifth day in the private facility in London and comes as the fallout from the news about Harry and Meghan's departure from working royal life continues

Today is Philip’s fifth day in the private facility in London and comes as the fallout from the news about Harry and Meghan’s departure from working royal life continues 

Harry would also be exempt from having to quarantine in a hotel for ten days after arriving, if the UK adds the US to its ‘red list’ of countries as is being discussed.

Members of the Royal Family do not have to isolate in a hotel upon arriving from ‘red list’ countries due to special dispensation, similar to diplomatic immunity.

A spokesman for Harry was contacted for comment by MailOnline. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said admitting Philip to hospital was a ‘precautionary measure’.

There were no reports yesterday or on Thursday of visitors arriving at the exclusive hospital which is on a quiet street in Marylebone, but Philip is known for his ‘no fuss’ attitude.

Philip, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related and it was a non-emergency admission.

It is understood a doctor was called after Philip felt unwell for a short period and he was taken to hospital by car, where he walked in unaided.

Philip has been spending the latest lockdown with the Queen, 94, at Windsor Castle and last month they both received Covid vaccinations. 

Prince Harry and Meghan at their £11million home in Montecito, California, last September

Prince Harry and Meghan at their £11million home in Montecito, California, last September

The Queen and Prince Philip look at a wedding anniversary card given to them by their great grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis, in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle last November

The Queen and Prince Philip look at a wedding anniversary card given to them by their great grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis, in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle last November

Harry and Meghan released this picture on Sunday to accompany a pregnancy announcement

Harry and Meghan released this picture on Sunday to accompany a pregnancy announcement

Philip was reported last year to be unconcerned about becoming a centenarian. 

But sources say his view has modified and he is rather reluctantly looking forward to reaching the milestone. 

As the nation hoped for his swift recovery, royal author Penny Junor joked yesterday that hospital staff probably would not want Philip on their shift due to his aversion to people making a fuss.

Is this Britain’s bravest traffic warden? Prince Philip’s royal protection officers’ Range Rover gets a parking ticket 

A ticket-happy official outside the hospital where Philip is being treated tried to lay claim to the title of Britain’s bravest traffic warden last week.

As the Duke remained inside, royal protection officers found their Range Rover had been given a fixed penalty notice.

The fine was attached to the windscreen after it was left on double yellow lines as the protection officers went inside for ‘a couple of hours’, a witness said. 

When they emerged, one of the officers removed the ticket and the car was moved. 

A parking warden putting a ticket on a royal protection officer's vehicle on a yellow line outside King Edward VII Hospital yesterday

A parking warden putting a ticket on a royal protection officer’s vehicle on a yellow line outside King Edward VII Hospital yesterday

She told BBC Breakfast: ‘He can be quite blunt and I think if he felt people were fussing over him he could be quite outspoken about that. 

‘This is a man who doesn’t want any fuss made of his 100th birthday, so the fact he’s in hospital and getting some fuss made of him will really irritate him.’

Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday: ‘His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on Tuesday evening.

‘The Duke’s admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’s doctor, after feeling unwell. The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest.’

It is understood the decision to admit Philip was taken with an ‘abundance’ of caution.

Philip was last in hospital in December 2019, when he spent four nights at King Edward VII being treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’ before being discharged on Christmas Eve.

He retired from public duties in 2017 but made a rare public appearance at Windsor last July 2020 for the official handover of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles to his daughter-in-law Camilla.  

Meanwhile a ticket-happy official outside the hospital tried to lay claim to the title of Britain’s bravest traffic warden yesterday.

As Philip remained inside, royal protection officers found their Range Rover given a fixed penalty notice.

The fine was attached to the windscreen after it was left on double yellow lines as the protection officers went inside for ‘a couple of hours’, a witness said. 

When they emerged, one of the officers removed the ticket and the car was moved.   

Prince Charles spoke on Thursday at a British Asian Trust’s (BAT) webinar: ‘Covid-19 Vaccine – Facts for the BAME Community’ – as his father spent his third day at London’s King Edward VII hospital after falling ill.

After his address, the BAT aired the preview of an advert featuring celebrities including the comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Meera Syal. The clip was then broadcast on TV on Thursday evening. 

Charles, the royal founding patron of the British Asian Trust, said: ‘Recently I fear we have reached a most sobering milestone in this seemingly interminable campaign as we marked the tragic loss of 100,000 souls.

‘It is clear that the virus has affected all parts of the country, and all parts of society.

‘But it is also clear that there are particular challenges faced in particular sections of our society, especially in some ethnic minority communities.

‘What saddens me even further is to hear that those challenges are being made even worse by the variable uptake of the vaccines, which finally offers a way out of the suffering of the past year.’

Charles continued: ‘The production of the vaccines in such an incredibly short time scale must rank as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our time.

‘It has been the result of tremendous international cooperation, generous financial investment by nations and private companies and represents an unprecedented and super human effort by our medical experts.

‘Therefore it is surely a tragedy that the benefits of such an extraordinary achievement should not be experienced by everybody.

‘Which is why I am so very grateful for all those who have come together here today to help ensure people of whatever background are enabled to take up the vaccine.’

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