Prince Philip has today been taken to hospital with a bladder infection.
He is being treated at King Edward VII hospital in London after paramedics were called to Windsor Castle this afternoon as a precautionary measure.
The 90-year-old, who celebrates his 91st birthday this Sunday, is being treated and will remain in hospital for a few days.
Hospital: The Prince, who is due to celebrate his 91st birthday on Sunday, was today taken to King Edward VII Hospital in London
Yesterday he stood for four hours in the freezing rain during the Queen's Jubilee river pageant.
The Duke appeared to be in good spirits when he joined the rest of his family on the royal barge for the Diamond Jubilee pageant.
Like the Queen, he stood for most of the 80-minute journey down the Thames and did appear to be in discomfort.
The Prince has previously suffered from a bladder infection in February 2002.
Today staff at ambulance control in Berkshire received a call from Windsor Castle shortly after 2pm reporting that Prince Phillip was feeling unwell.
He was reported to have been suffering from an infection and the medical crew used a chair to help him into the ambulance before he set off to a London hospital.
He had been due to attend a special concert at Buckingham Palace tonight organised by singer Gary Barlow with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J and others.
The Queen will continue with her engagements as planned as will the rest of the Royal family, despite the Duke's health scare.
Tomorrow he was also due to be at the Queen's side during a service at St Paul's Cathedral in the morning, followed by receptions at Mansion House and in the Guildhall, as well as lunch at Westminster Hall.
In the afternoon, a carriage procession in a State Landaus is due to take place with other members of the Royal family. However, the Queen will now attend the event without him at her side.
Prince Philip, pictured yesterday with the Queen, was today rushed to a London hospital after falling ill at Windsor Castle
A Buckingham palace spokesman told the Mail: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh was this afternoon taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London as a precautionary measure after developing a bladder infection. He is currently receiving treatment.
‘He will remain in hospital under observation for a few days.
‘He is understandably disappointed at missing this evening’s Diamond Jubilee concert and tomorrow’s engagement.’
Prince Philip has remained remarkably active in recent weeks despite being treated for a blocked coronary artery just before Christmas.
Just three weeks ago he was pictured lugging a heavy car battery around at the Windsor Horse Show apparently with little difficulty.
Three generations of Royals: The Duke of Edinburgh (centre) with Princes Charles, William and Harry yesterday on the Spirit of Chartwell during the Jubilee Pageant
DUKE OF EDINBURGH HIT BY BLADDER SCARE
Bladder infections are much more common in women than men, but millions of men are afflicted each year.
They usually develop quickly and can be serious, even life-threatening without prompt treatment.
In men they are may be linked to kidney stones or prostate problems, including an enlarged prostate which affects the vast majority of men in their 80s and older.
Symptoms include the frequent need to go to the loo, fever, and possible blood in the urine. The diagnosis is confirmed using a simple urine test.
Antibiotics are the first line of treatment and usually work within five to seven days for younger patients.
However, if the infection is causing severe pain and the patient is elderly, hospital treatment may be prudent.
In hospital, intravenous antibiotics can be administered more rapidly and the patient’s progress monitored more carefully.
Scans may be necessary and if the patient develops antibiotic resistance – an increasing issue in hospitals – the drugs can be changed to something more powerful.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) – to use the medical term- may cause someone to feel unwell or even create a sense of confusion and disorientation, which can be alarming when the sufferer is elderly.
This is usually a short term problem that resolves as the antibiotics start working, but every precaution will be taken when the patient is elderly.
What triggered the attack will exercise the Duke’s doctors and the most common triggers include dehydration, poor immune system or an underlying medical problem such as enlarged prostate, bladder or kidney problems.
The actual cause is bacteria within the patient’s body, which gets from its normal home in the bowel to the bladder which becomes infected.
This may stay in the bladder, when it is called a lower UTI, or more seriously travel back to the kidneys causing an upper UTI.
The timing of the Duke’s attack is bound to raise questions about the wisdom of a man in his 90s being exposed to the wind and rain of Sunday’s pageant.
The conditions appear ideal for triggering bladder infection, including prolonged standing, poor hydration and limited access to toilet facilities through Royal duties.
But it can be difficult to pin down a single trigger when a chain of events is often to blame.
On December 23 he was rushed to hospital via helicopter for emergency treatment.
Buckingham Palace said at the time the Prince underwent a 'minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting' after he was taken to hospital suffering chest pains.
The Royal Family had been gathering at Sandringham, a traditional royal retreat in Norfolk, for Christmas, when he fell ill.
He spent four days recovering from the procedure – including Christmas Day - before he was released on December 27.
The Duke of Edinburgh is an incredibly active man, who has enjoyed good health for much of his life.
The 90-year-old has shunned the pursuits of typical pensioners and even as an octogenarian continued to compete in demanding carriage driving competitions.
Before his heart scare last Christmas, Philip's most recent illness was an uncharacteristic cold in October that forced him to pull out of an overnight stay in Italy for the launch of the ARC Green Pilgrimage Network.
He had just completed a busy 11-day official royal tour to Australia with the Queen, 85, that saw them visit Perth, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane.
Commentators billed the long haul trip as the couple's last to the continent because of their age, but the Palace dismissed speculation it was a 'farewell' visit.
In 2008 was treated for a serious chest infection. On that occasion he stayed at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London
However, most of Philip's ailments and injuries have been sports-related.
He suffered arthritis in his right wrist from playing polo and tried to dull the pain with Butazolodin, a drug more usually given to lame horses and recommended by his head groom.
It was reported he later stopped taking it because of the side effects.
In 1961, he broke a bone in his left ankle in a collision on the polo field and in 1963, again playing polo, he suffered a gash to his left arm which needed three stitches.
The Duke was X-rayed in 1964 after a fall from his polo pony when he pulled a ligament in his left shoulder.
He also developed synovitis, a rheumatoid condition of the tendon in the hand, after a polo fall.
Accidental mishaps sometimes left the Duke looking the worse for wear.
In 2005, he was seen sporting dark glasses and a badly-bruised left eye after slipping in the bath and catching the side of his eye with his thumb.
In May 2006, the Duke pulled out of a royal engagement after suffering from a trapped nerve in his neck.
After a weekend recovering, he attended the Chelsea Flower Show, appearing none the worse for wear.
Celebrations: Prince Philip (rear) arrives at Chelsea Pier yesterday at the start of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee events
Committed royal: Prince Philip, 90, waves to the crowd during the Thames pageant yesterday on a long day of celebrations
Health scare: Prince Philip leaves Papworth Hospital on December 27 after undergoing a minor heart procedure
A chest infection laid him low in April 2008 for a number of days and he was eventually admitted to hospital for treatment.
But even with the respiratory problem, he walked into hospital and walked out three days later and went on to make a full recovery.
In August 2008, Buckingham Palace took the unusual step of speaking out to deny a report that the Duke had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The newspaper involved later apologised, saying it accepted the story was untrue.
In January 2009, 87-year-old Philip missed a string of engagements with a bad back after pulling a muscle while carriage driving.
Soon after, it emerged that the Queen had cancelled a state visit due to take place in spring 2009.
Buckingham Palace insisted this was due to 'other commitments', not the Queen's age nor the Duke's health.
Buckingham Palace insisted this was due to 'other commitments', not the Queen's age nor the Duke's health.
In June 2010, the Duke had minor surgery on his left hand just before his 89th birthday to cure carpal tunnel syndrome - a common condition that causes pain, numbness and a burning sensation in the hand and fingers.
The hand operation forced Philip to cancel an official trip with the Queen to Crewe.
The first public acknowledgement of his advancing years came as he was preparing to turn 90.
The Palace announced that the Duke planned to step down as president or patron of more than a dozen organisations.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154486/BREAKING-NEWS-Prince-Philip-taken-hospital-bladder-infection.html#ixzz1wqPpXV48
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