According to Dr. Diana Gall of online service Doctor 4 U, Prince Philip is more vulnerable to the virus due to his medical history.
“Prince Philip has had some medical problems in the past and this combined with his age does make him more vulnerable,” Gall told Express.
“We know he has been hospitalised with bladder infections in recent years but there is no evidence to suggest this would put him at greater risk of complications from COVID-19 unless he is immunocompromised.”
Last December, the Queen’s husband was hospitalized. He was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London days before Christmas. The palace did not specify the reason for his admission but in a statement, it said that it was just a “precautionary measure” on the advice of his doctor due to his pre-existing condition.
Sources close to the royals said at the time that there was nothing to be worried about the duke. Prince Philip was reportedly fine and was not traveled by ambulance. His admission was planned and not an emergency case.
“It was a planned admission, and he walked into the hospital unaided,” one source said.
Queen Elizabeth II also did not visit her husband at the hospital where he stayed for a couple of days. Royal expert Victoria Arbiter responded after netizens questioned the monarch’s decision to skip hospital visits.
“After seeing some pretty horrid comments about the Queen being at Sandringham while Philip is in hospital I’d like to TRY to add a little perspective. Generally royals don’t visit each other in hospital,” she wrote on Twitter.
“The security requirements alone would be incredibly disruptive. Conscious of other patients undergoing treatment they don’t want to cause undue stress for them or their families,” she added.