Prince Philip has been discharged from hospital following surgery on his hip. The Queen's 96-year-old husband underwent the operation on Wednesday 4th April, after being admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London the previous afternoon. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Friday 13th April, which read: "His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh left King Edward VII’s Hospital at midday today, following a hip replacement operation last week. The Duke will continue his recovery at Windsor. His Royal Highness would like to convey his appreciation for the messages of good wishes he has received." The news comes one day after Philip's daughter, Princess Anne, visited her father in hospital. The Princess Royal went to visit the 96-year-old just over a week after his operation, and later said her father was "on good form".
Prince Philip has been discharged from hospital following a hip operation
Philip was notably absent from the royal family's Easter celebrations eaerlier in the month. Her Majesty attended the traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor with members of her family, but her husband was a no-show. Prince William and Kate, who is due to give birth to their third child in April, broke royal protocol by arriving late, after the service had started and after the Queen. The couple were on their way back from the Middletons' family home in Berkshire and were stuck in traffic.
MORE: All the best photos from the royals' Easter celebration
Other royals who made up the gathering included Zara Tindall, who is expecting her second child with husband Mike Tindall, and the Queen's granddaughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex were also spotted at church, with their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
The 96-year-old will continue his recovery in Windsor
Prince Philip officially retired from royal duties last summer. At the time, the palace stressed that the Duke's decision was not health-related, and that he would, on occasion, still attend events with the Queen. But the Prince has recently had to pull out of engagements due to his hip problem.
MORE: Prince Philip's quiet life of retirement revealed
Last month, he missed the Maundy church service at St George's Chapel in Windsor. Philip also pulled out of a ceremony at Windsor Castle to formally hand over his role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards to his son, Prince Andrew. Unfortunately, the father-of-four was unable to attend as he was feeling "unwell", and instead the Queen carried out the ceremony on her own, passing the honour to her second son.