Prince Philip Still At Hospital 5 Days After His Hip Surgery

Prince Philip is still recovering at the hospital five days after undergoing hip surgery.

Days after his procedure at the King Edward VI private hospital in central London, Sarah Muirhead-Allwood, the Queen Mother’s hip surgeon, was seen leaving the facility.

A photo of Muirhead-Allwood with a smile on her face was published online via the Daily Mail. As of late, it is still unclear whether or not she was also the one that operated on Prince Philip on Tuesday.

One day after Prince Philip’s surgery, Buckingham Palace released a statement and said that he is recovering satisfactorily. “The Duke of Edinburgh has undergone a successful hip replacement operation. He is progressing satisfactorily at this early stage. His Royal Highness is likely to remain in the hospital for several days. He is comfortable and in good spirits,” the palace said.

Some people were concerned about the success of the surgery due to Prince Philip’s age. But Scarlett McNally, an orthopedic surgeon, said the prince’s age isn’t a cause for alarm.

“All operations may have complications and some patients are at greater risk. A person’s fitness is more important than their chronological age. Surgeons will always take account of these risks in helping patients decide whether they wish to proceed with surgery,” she said.

Prince Philip’s hospitalization came just days after he missed the royal family’s Easter service. Prior to the April 1 gathering, Prince Philip also failed to attend several other public engagements. He retired from his official post in August of last year.

His retirement was actually announced in May 2017, but the palace confirmed that he will bow out of his duties at the end of last year. Prince Philip served the royal family for 65 years.

Meanwhile, Queen Mother underwent the same procedure in 1995. At that time, she was already 95 years old and it took her two weeks to recover. Three years later, she fell and fractured her left hip and underwent a second hip replacement procedure at the King Edward VII hospital.