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Prince Philip hospitalized for preexisting condition

LONDON — Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has been admitted to a hospital in London for observation and treatment related to a preexisting condition, Buckingham Palace officials said Friday in a statement.

"The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness' Doctor," the statement said.

The condition that prompted the hospital visit was not immediately known. Palace officials said the 98-year-old duke was not taken to the hospital by ambulance and that the situation was not an emergency. He was expected to remain hospitalized for a few days, Sky News reported.

The duke had been at the royal family's Sandringham estate in eastern England, where the queen and her family usually spend Christmas. He married Elizabeth in 1947 and is the longest-serving consort in British history.

Philip enjoyed robust health well into old age, but has had a number of health issues in recent years. He retired from public life in 2017, though he still appears alongside his wife and other members of the royal family at public events and church services, according to BBC News. He has not been seen in public since May, when he attended Lady Gabriella Kingston’s wedding at Windsor Castle, the news network reported.

He underwent treatment in 2011 for a blocked coronary artery after complaining of chest pains, The Guardian reported. The next year he was hospitalized for several days with a bladder infection, according to the newspaper.

He was also hospitalized in 2013 for abdominal surgery and in 2014 for surgery to his right hand, BBC News reported. More recently, in 2018, the duke was hospitalized to undergo surgery for his hip, CNN reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.