Prince Philip "satisfactory" after operation

Prince Philip "satisfactory" after operation

LONDON - Prince Philip, the 91-year-old husband of the Queen, is making satisfactory progress in hospital after an operation on Friday, a royal spokesman said.

His wife of 65 years carried on with her official engagements, visiting state broadcaster, the BBC, just half a mile from the central London hospital where the operation took place.

Philip, who turns 92 next week, was admitted to the London Clinic on Thursday and is expected to remain for two weeks after what Buckingham Palace described as "an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations".

"The results will now be analysed," the palace said in a statement. "At this early stage he is progressing satisfactorily."

It was the fourth time Prince Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, has undergone hospital treatment since Christmas 2011.

Philip was admitted to hospital during the queen's Diamond Jubilee last year with a bladder infection.

The 87-year-old queen visited the BBC's newly opened headquarters alone on Friday. She left without making public reference to Philip's hospital stay.

Philip was taken to the London Clinic by appointment after attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace with the queen. Television footage showed him in a grey top hat and tails, smiling and chatting with guests.

Prime Minister David Cameron described Philip as an "extraordinarily dedicated public servant and such an enormous support for our sovereign".

"The whole country will be thinking about him, thinking about the family and wishing him well," Cameron told reporters.

Married in 1947, Philip - the son of the exiled Prince Andrew of Greece - is renowned in Britain for his outspoken comments and off-the-cuff remarks.

Against a backdrop of trumpets and cheering crowds, the queen and Philip were joined by 2,000 guests at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday to celebrate 60 years since her coronation.

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