Prince Philip asked Prince Charles to come to his bedside to discuss the future of the Royal Family, the Queen’s ex-press secretary has claimed.
Dickie Arbiter said the Duke of Edinburgh would have ‘requested’ his son’s presence at the King Edward VII Hospital in London last weekend.
Mr Arbiter, who served Her Majesty from 1988 to 2000, said Prince Philip was probably worried about the future of the Royal Family.
It comes as Prince Philip spends his 13th day in hospital in his longest-ever stay as his infection treatment continues.
The 99-year-old was admitted to the private London clinic the Tuesday before last as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell – but walked into the building unaided.
Buckingham Palace said there were no expected updates on his condition today, but said last Tuesday he was ‘comfortable’ and ‘responding’ to medical help.
The Duke of Edinburgh (pictured with the Queen in 2018), 99, was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London the Tuesday before last as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell – but walked into the building unaided
Buckingham Palace said last Tuesday that Philip was ‘comfortable’ and ‘responding’ to medical help. Pictured: Police outside the hospital this morning
The Duke passed his longest hospital stay yesterday as he continues to get treated for the infection for a 13th day. Pictured: The hospital this morning
Mr Arbiter told True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat yesterday: ‘I think it was at the request of the Duke that the Prince of Wales visited.
‘To lay the ground. Look the man is 99, he is in with an infection. My guess is that he will come out, he will walk out and he will go back to Windsor.
‘But eventually he is going to die and he was just saying to Charles, ”one day you are going to be the leading man of the family”.’
Prince Charles had driven from his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire to London for a 30-minute talk – before driving away with tears in his eyes.
It is thought the Duke of Cornwall had not seen his father since before Christmas because of Covid restrictions – with Prince Philip staying at Windsor Castle.
Mr Arbiter (pictured), who served Her Majesty from 1988 to 2000, said Prince Philip was probably worried about the future of the Royal Family
Dickie Arbiter said the Duke of Edinburgh would have ‘requested’ his son’s presence at the King Edward VII Hospital in London last weekend (pictured)
Philip passed his longest hospital stay yesterday as he continues to get treated for the infection for a 13th day.
The Duke previously spent 11 days in hospital in 2013 after an operation on his abdomen.
Photographs from outside the hospital this morning show police officers standing guard.
At the time of Philip’s admission to hospital, the Palace did not disclose the reason, but then said this Tuesday he was being treated for an infection.
His son Prince Edward said earlier this week Philip was ‘a lot better’ but ‘looking forward to getting out’ with the Royal Family keeping their ‘fingers crossed’.
Edward, who said he had spoken to his father on the phone, suggested the Duke, who is known for his ‘no fuss’ attitude, was a little frustrated at remaining in hospital.
It is now his longest stay in hospital. Pictured is Philip in 2013 after leaving hospital after 11 days following an abdomen operation
He was asked about his father by Sky News’ royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills, while she was filming a separate interview with him his Bagshot Park home in Surrey.
He replied: ‘He’s a lot better, thank you very much indeed, and he’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing, so we keep our fingers crossed.’
Asked whether Philip, who turns 100 in June, was frustrated to be in hospital, Edward laughed and replied: ‘Just a bit.
‘I think that gets to all of us, and then you can only watch the clock so many times and the walls are only so interesting.
‘We’ve had some brilliant and lovely messages from all sorts of people and we really appreciate that and so does he, I’ve been passing them on. It’s fantastic, thank you.’
The palace said on Tuesday: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII’s Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection.
‘He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days.’
Philip was initially due to spend a few days under medical care for ‘observation and rest’, but last Friday it emerged he was likely to remain in hospital.
His 11th day in hospital came as his grandson Prince Harry was interviewed by James Corden on the Late Late Show in America.
During their chat, Harry revealed how Philip does know how to use Zoom – but simply slams shut his laptop to end calls instead of pressing the Leave button.
The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen have called the Sussexes a ‘few times’ and even seen Archie ‘running around’, Harry added.