Prince Philip, 99, has successful procedure for pre-existing heart condition

The Duke of Edinburgh has undergone a ‘successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition’ and will remain in hospital for ‘treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days’, Buckingham Palace said today.

Prince Philip, 99, had the operation yesterday at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London, where he was transferred to on Monday after spending 14 days at King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone due to an infection.

It comes after his daughter-in-law Camilla revealed yesterday while visiting a vaccination centre in Croydon that the Duke was ‘slightly improving’ and that everyone in the Royal Family was ‘keeping our fingers crossed’.

Philip, who is set to celebrate his 100th birthday this June, has been receiving continuing treatment in recent weeks for an infection as well as testing and observation for his pre-existing heart condition.

Giving an update on his condition at 9.30am this morning, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh yesterday underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days.’

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said today that the update was ‘good news’, adding: ‘The Iron Duke is fighting back. Wonderful.’ And royal biographer Angela Levin added: ‘That is very good news.’

ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship said it was possible that Philip has had a stent fitted, which medical experts had predicted when he was moved on Monday. The Duke had a stent fitted in 2011 after a blocked coronary artery.

The development comes as ITV prepares to broadcast an interview Philip’s grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle gave to Oprah Winfrey, which is set to air next Monday evening in a two-hour special from 9pm.

Daily Mail editor at large Richard Kay wrote earlier this week: ‘Maybe there is still time for some nobility. Out of respect to his grandfather, might Harry see if Oprah will reschedule? It surely can’t hurt to ask.’

The Queen, who is being kept regularly updated about her husband’s condition, will not be permitted to visit Philip at St Bart’s and is thought to be unlikely to see him until he leaves.

This is because visitors are currently excluded apart from a handful of ‘exceptional’ circumstances, including end of life.

She did not visit him at King Edward VII Hospital as she is always reluctant to cause disruption to any hospital’s vital work and knows her presence would place unnecessary pressure on staff at the best of times.

It means the Queen will have been parted from her husband of 73 years for at least three weeks.

St Bart’s said while they know it is difficult for patients and their families ‘our first duty is to the patients we serve, and to maintain their safety at all times we need to control visiting’.

It adds: ‘We are only allowing visitors in exceptional circumstances. We understand that having a family member in hospital is distressing, and we work closely with relatives and friends to ease their concerns and find alternative ways of keeping in touch.’

Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that Philip had been transferred to St Bart’s for continuing treatment for an infection, as well as ‘testing and observation’ for a pre-existing heart condition.

Although he remains comfortable and responding to treatment, they said, he will remain in hospital until at least the end of the week.

Members of the Royal Family had recently been speaking out about his stay for treatment.

His son Prince Edward said last week Philip was ‘a lot better’ but ‘looking forward to getting out’ with the Royal Family were keeping their ‘fingers crossed’.

The Earl of Wessex was asked about his father by Sky News’ royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills, while she was filming a separate interview with him his Bagshot Park home in Surrey.

He replied: ‘He’s a lot better, thank you very much indeed, and he’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing, so we keep our fingers crossed.’ 

It was revealed that Philip went under the knife as Meghan Markle accused the Royal Family of ‘perpetuating falsehoods’ about her and Harry in their interview with Oprah Winfrey in a new teaser clip released just hours after Buckingham Palace launched a probe into her alleged bullying of staff.

Ramping up her war of words with the royals, the Duchess of Sussex calls her husband’s family ‘The Firm’ in the 30-second trailer released by CBS today and blames them for speaking out in a show set to be watched by millions around the globe.

An aide claiming to have been bullied by Meghan Markle today welcomed the Queen’s investigation into her and Harry’s alleged mistreatment of staff and declared: ‘We will finally be able to tell the truth’.

The unnamed palace worker’s claim will pile even more pressure on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to give evidence to the probe after they were invited to take part by Buckingham Palace.

The Sussexes are accused leaving behind a ‘lot of broken people’ with ‘young women broken by their behaviour’ and a source describing one member of their staff as ‘completely destroyed’ by the ordeal.

The Queen has now launched an unprecedented inquiry into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff – leaving royal employees ‘shaken’ by ‘unhappy memories’ being brought up about a ‘toxic period’ before the couple emigrated.

Devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted ’emotional cruelty’ on underlings and ‘drove them out’ were ‘very’ concerning, Buckingham Palace said.

The whistleblower told The Times: ‘We will finally be able to tell the truth. It’s not going to be easy, but this is very welcome and long overdue. We don’t have to be silent any more’. Lawyers for the Sussexes have vehemently denied they have bullied or mistreated staff.

The couple hit back as a clip was released from the Oprah interview where they again accuse Buckingham Palace of smearing them.

In a clip set to dramatic music, Ms Winfrey asks her: ‘How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?’ And an emotional Meghan replies: ‘I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us’.

The Duchess adds: ‘And, if that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already.’

It is not known what ‘falsehoods’ Meghan is talking about because the interview was recorded before she was accused of ‘driving out’ two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of Kensington Palace staff – with one former aide branding Prince Harry and his wife ‘outrageous bullies’ in The Times yesterday.

And last night the Queen launched an unprecedented inquiry into allegations that the couple bullied their staff and devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted ’emotional cruelty’ on aides who accuse her of playing the victim.

Today new claims emerged that royal staff say they are members of the ‘Sussex Survivors’ Club’ after working for the couple, with some claiming they have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety because of their treatment by Harry and Meghan.

And senior palace sources said aides are ‘incandescent’ the Sussexes claimed they were orchestrating a ‘smear campaign’ against the Duchess.

One told the Mirror: ‘It is totally disingenuous, frankly ludicrous and wholly untrue to suggest anyone at the Palace has been peddling disinformation and has been briefing on these matters.

‘There are far, far more important things going on right now than the circus surrounding a media appearance’.

It came as a royal outsider scotched hopes they could one day return for royal events such as Trooping the Colour, saying: ‘I can’t ever see those two back on the balcony.’

Harry and his wife were both labelled ‘outrageous bullies’, according to sensational claims reported yesterday.

‘Broken’ royal aides told of feeling humiliated, ‘sick’, ‘terrified’, left ‘shaking’ with fear, and being reduced to tears by the duchess.

In an extraordinary statement, Buckingham Palace announced a formal probe into the allegations surrounding the Queen’s grandson and his wife. Members of staff will be invited to contribute in confidence.

The Palace said: ‘We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

‘Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Royal Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.

‘The household has had a dignity at work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.’

It does not appear that the duke and duchess will be consulted at this stage. However, Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, have strenuously denied any bullying.

In response to the reports, they accused the Queen’s staff of orchestrating a ‘calculated smear campaign’ ahead of their explosive two-hour ‘tell-all’ interview with Oprah Winfrey being broadcast this weekend.