As we discussed, Prince Philip was transferred to another hospital yesterday, St. Bart’s, which specializes in cardiac issues. Philip apparently has a preexisting heart condition which has possibly been exacerbated by the infection he’s still battling. The Daily Mail suggests that Philip could be in the hospital for another four to six weeks. The Queen has still not visited her husband:
Members of the Royal Family are ‘united in prayer’ today as Prince Philip started his first full day in Britain’s top cardiology hospital where he could stay for up to six weeks. Philip was transferred to nearby St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where he is to undergo testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition, Buckingham Palace said. The hospital boasts the UK’s largest heart centre and is the biggest centre of excellence for adults with congenital heart disease. It is already the longest hospital stay of his life, and he could be there until April if he has an infection in his heart that requires intravenous antibiotics.
A royal source told the Mirror: ‘The staff and all the Royal Family are united in their prayers for the Duke. There has been an almighty and collective effort to keep him and the Queen safe during the coronavirus crisis over the past 11 months but there was a significant shift in the mood when everyone started finding out the Duke wasn’t coming home any time soon’.
And with just a few days until Harry and Meghan’s two-hour tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey is broadcast in the US, the insider added: ‘Everyone’s thoughts are now firmly centred on him pulling through this illness’.
Remarkably, the Queen, 94, has carried on working throughout her husband of 73 years’ hospital stay. Last night Buckingham Palace issued new footage of her smiling and laughing as she took part in a virtual statue unveiling with Australian officials from Windsor last week – the epitome of public service in the face of extreme personal pressure. The monarch, who will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next year, took part in her first video call to Australia with the Governor of South Australia, His Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le, and the Hon. Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia, last Wednesday.
The Queen also heard from the Governor about the recovery from drought and bushfires in the area at the start of 2020, and from the Premier about how cooperation between health services, police, government – and the resilience of the Australian people – has been instrumental in their frontline response to the Covid pandemic. Later they were joined by sculptor Robert Hannaford as she unveiled a new statue of herself recently installed in the grounds of Government House.
On seeing the statue, the monarch exclaimed giggling: ‘Oh really! I think possibly it might be quite alarming to suddenly see it out of the window – you’d think, gracious, has she arrived unexpectedly?’
Just so we’re clear, the British papers are bashing Harry and Meghan for a pre-recorded interview which is set to air during Philip’s third week of hospitalization, all while Philip’s wife of 72 years has not visited him once, and spent time on Zoom looking at a statue of herself.
I was going to follow this up by excerpting from this patronizing Richard Kay piece at the Daily Mail, all about how Harry should force CBS to ditch the Oprah interview because of Phil’s hospitalization… an interview which Harry and Meghan have already recorded. But it’s too dumb. Kay compares Harry’s life with Philip’s life and of course suggests that Harry has never had anything to complain about, regardless of the wildly different roles the two men were undertaking. Kay then claims that Diana “had friends who were journalists — I was one of them — and despite the provocation, she never once described the media as ‘toxic’ as Harry did…” Are you joking? Kay argues: “It’s too late for Harry now, the interview is in the can. But 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.” Sure. Harry should only ask CBS to reschedule when the Queen asks the BBC to reschedule her sad little Commonwealth Competition Program.
Again, it’s worth noting: if Buckingham Palace still wanted to exert control over Harry and Meghan and what they were doing, surely the Palace should have accepted their half-in, half-out offer?
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.
“took part in a virtual statue unveiling with Australian officials from Windsor last week – the epitome of public service in the face of extreme personal pressure”
Do these people truly not understand how idiotic they sound? Here’s an old lady laughing during a “virtual statue unveiling” (and it’s a statue of herself? How humble) zomg how does she manage to perform such important public services??????????? Meanwhile her corpse husband is in the hospital probably with his mistress by his side.
I agree that the statue unveiling is cringy but I don’t believe that the royals have been staying away from Philip. In the UK at the moment, we are all unable to visit sick or elderly relatives in hospitals or care homes. Women are giving birth alone, people are dying alone. It would look terrible if they were seen rocking up at the hospital and they’d be criticised for it. Of course they’re being criticised for not visiting too.
I also wonder whether things are worse than they’re letting on and again, if suddenly they’re seen to visit, they’d have to explain why. Then if he makes a recovery and comes home, they’ll be criticised once again for visiting when he was ok.
I’m no supporter or defender of the Royals but right now I think this is a no win situation for them.
The Queen has been vaccinated as well as Philip. She should be allowed to see him.
People who have been vaccinated can still transmit the virus. The Queen should stay away for everyone else’s safety.
Anyone who has had very elderly relatives know that you try to avoid them going to do hospital visits. Covid isn’t the only thing you can catch while you’re there and the hospital staff that has been overworked for a year now don’t have time to deal with a royal visit protocol. If visits aren’t tolerated and people had to say goodbye to loved ones through zoom, then that’s applicable to the BRF too. Also, I doubt that Philip would notice whether someone is visiting or not tbh. Though in all likelihood, he’s not going to get out of the hospital (a 6 wks stay for a 99yo?! c’mon! They should send him home to spend his last days in a familiar place) so maybe at some point they’ll be allowed to do one visit/photo op and that will be it.
Then why did Charles go to see him?
“Meanwhile her corpse husband is in the hospital probably with his mistress by his side.”
@Sara – Willing to bet that QEII has not visited Philip because Philip does NOT want her to visit. No other explanation makes any sense to me.
She never visits him. And since when does Petty Betty take other people’s wishes into consideration? She doesn’t want to visit him.
I almost fell out of my chair reading that! She watched a statue of herself be unveiled on a Zoom call! The height of service and sacrifice! Gawd. No wonder their definition of “Service” is so twisted and narrow. It’s preposterous. Harry served in a war zone, voluntarily, gladly. He was so upset when he had to come back (thanks, press) that he re-trained in another role so he could go back and risk his life again. THAT is service.
Now, Philip served in war time and he deserves all the credit for that. Note that while they are making a big stink on his behalf, he himself has said nothing and I imagine doesn’t give a damn if Harry gives his interview or whatever else he wants to do with his life. That’s a stiff upper lip, not all this whinging about being overshadowed.
Ugh. It’s so gross.
I went to a in-person unveiling of my face in the mirror this morning, I’m so noble, am I qualified to be Queen now?
I’ll just say that for a person of that age the chances of leaving that hospital on his own two feet are getting slimmer and slimmer. The BP probably hope this interview never airs.
Yeahhhh being in bed all day at his age will lead to huge deficits in physical ability very quickly if he’s not working with PT/OT daily-which if he’s this sick I’m sure he isn’t. Not to mention the cognitive decline that happens when you take the very elderly out of their routine.
My dad was in the hospital last April (he was 92 then). While he tested NEGATIVE for Covid FIVE TIMES he presented with ALL the Covid symptoms: low blood oxygen, 2 blood clots in one lung and in one leg, pneumonia like crystalizations in both lungs…yet no fever. He had supplemental oxygen (nose cannula), and was in for 3 wks.
As this was the beginning of Covid, we were not allowed to even check him into the room, NO visits (he had a lovely nurse who’d FT w/us once a day). But my sister and I took turns, every half hr., to call him to try and keep his cognition up (low blood oxy also causes confusion on its own; add the hospital and no family, and it’s *so* much worse at that age! Sometimes he’d ask where we were, when we’d be there…broke my heart!).
After 3 wks. in, my dad couldn’t walk on his own, and his lungs were better, so they wanted him in a Rehab place. Took days to get him in, even after the 5 negative Covid tests! We still kept up the every half hr. phone calls, every day, from early morning till bedtime. (It KILLED me that this place was literally a block from our home, yet we couldn’t visit).
After one week in there, we felt my dad was sufficiently strong, his oxy. was up, and that his mental state was more important, and we could do some in home PT with him. That helped get him back to himself.
In all, my dad was in a hospital setting 4 wks; and THAT was LONG at 92. Don’t think at 99 my dad would’ve come out of this. I don’t think Phil will either.
Then again, he’s a bull. Maybe he won’t want to give Ol’ Brenda the satisfaction lol
A friend and senior home client went into the hospital at 95 for a elbow operation, the next morning surprisingly, she was started on dialysis. She spent 6 long weeks in the hospital, while we all waited daily for her to come home. She finally did, and I was so happy to see her again after becoming afraid I wasn’t going to. I went to her room after breakfast and was allowed about 20 minutes with her. She died about 1 hour later. I was crushed when I got the call. It was hard to believe. Naive me actually thought she was better.
Maybe Philip wanted some time away from Betty. William was winking to reporters about the whole thing.
I think that William’s sociopathic tendencies at play.
Wait, William WINKED? He really never misses an opportunity to say or do the most inappropriate thing in any given situation.
The DESPERATION!!! They are practically BEGGING Harry to drop it.
At least the opted to keep Philip in the hospital for an extended stay instead of straight up euthanizing him.
Do they think 6 weeks is the time it would take to distract a nation from the Oprah interview? If the strong arm ITV into not showing it, Oprah should make it available for purchase on streaming platforms.
I wouldn’t put it past them to off him as the interview is airing. Then it will be another stick to beat Harry and Meghan.
British newspapers are full of “Business as Usual” headlines about the Queen whilst Phillip is so ill in hospital, and at the same time clamouring that Harry/Meghan’s interview shouldn’t go ahead because Phillip is in hospital! Oxymoronic anyone?
It’s certainly moronic.
As Meghan once said, the only wrong thing to say is nothing. If CBS capitulates to pressure from UK, it’ll be open season. After they tried to strong arm Netflix they seem to need one more lesson to show them the sun has finally set on the British empire.
Oh, CBS ain’t budging. ITV might though.
CBS is going to air that if it’s that last thing they do. Too much money involved and it’s more the people waiting for the interview than the few sad clowns wanting to stop the whole thing. If the brits are so desperate for that interview not to air they can try asking ITV, but if they did really spend a million on that I can see them saying “sorry your majesty, your royal highnesses, but fck you”.
Exactly! If the check has already cleared, that sucker is AIRING!
Yes, this is CBS and OPRAH! It’s the most anticipated interview in the world right now. They’re hyping it on other shows. No way they’re pulling it. (Also, I said this yesterday, but Americans don’t know or care about Prince Philip.)
The firm made it quite clear Harry and Meghan don’t work for them anymore. What H+M do is their business. The BRF has no say in it should STFU.
I mean, how much power does the Rota actually think they wield? To tell a network in another country to just give up ad revenue, that amounts to half a million US dollars every 30 seconds?
LMAO. Deluded does not begin to describe BRF and British Media.
If BRF/Rota wanted to control the narrative from the UK, they should have 1) defended Meghan from the jump and 2) when H&M proposed half-in, half-out, they should have bit their hands off when they offered that. Those were the last exits from the highway.
@WheresMyTiara: The Rota definitely *think* they have more clout than they actually do. They have become very complacent in their habits because they’ve gotten away with their process for so long– get the scoop from courtier, write the garbage article, threaten bad press if the royal tries pushing back, network with other RR’s, rinse and repeat. But because they’ve never been challenged and successfully put in their place before, they’re resorting to worse extents of their poor behavior. Like the royals themselves, these RRs don’t know how to adapt and change, and they’re gonna see themselves become obsolete.
LOL, so they should hold off on airing the interview until Philip is out of the hospital – but what if he dies? Then when should it be aired? Next year? Never?
I dont think Harry is going to bash Philip or the Queen in this interview so I dont know why his being in the hospital means it shouldnt air.
I agree with you. He was positive about them on the bus drive, and unlike others in the family he IS respectful of his grandparents, and the “royal brand”. It’s the rest of the family and their little obnoxious elfs who’s ruining the RF’s reputation. It’s very telling how horribly they behaved, when they’re this desperate to have the interviw stopped!
No, Diana never got the chance to call the British media out as toxic. They killed her first, and took photos of her as she lay dying.
She literally told reporters, “you make my life hell.” Richard Kay is delusional.
There is tape of Diana bashing the press, saying why should she help the press because “the press have never done anything for me.” Also, when she was on a trip with the boys after the separation, she was filmed begging the press to leave them alone because she was not working and on a private trip. Diana may have had her favorites in the press, kind of like Meghan has Omid, but she knew the score with these people, it was all about the dollars.
The man is 99. The rota needs to stop acting like he’s a 59 year old man who’s been driven to the grave because of what his grandson and granddaughter-in-law are doing.
And like it’s been said by Kaiser, it’s not like the BRF are cancelling events left and right. They’re going on and they probably have more information about his health than anyone else does.
Diana is on record saying that the british press is vicious. So is sarah duchess of york btw. And i doubt richard was a friend. You were a tool she used, richard. Harry is her son. HER baby boy
I don’t think that the interview should be cancelled (by that I mean postponed) unless he actually passes. If he did pass I would assume that Harry/Sussex’s would considering postponing- not cancelling like the RR are so hopeful for.
The British press is awful in trying to pressure the Sussex’s and networks to not air it because he is just sick but everything else goes ahead. They are trying their hardest to make sure people in the UK and beyond don’t watch it or hear what the Sussex have to say which is eye raising- what do they have to say that has this press so damn scared?
They shouldn’t even postpone. At BEST, just put out an official statement about his passing and how Harry feels about him.
I agree.
BM123, I don’t agree. The US audience will not be mourning for Prince Phillip, when most won’t know who he is. I’ve stated this yesterday–the BRF thinks they’re more important than there are. They aren’t important here. President Biden will send his condolences. CBS might put out a statement, but they’ll still air the interview. ITV will have to decide what to do in the UK.
Phillip is old as hell and sick. Airing the interview now or six weeks from now is not gonna change that! Also do they actually think H&M have any say so over what CBS does?? Insanity and desperation!
That’s what I’m thinking too. Can Harry really just call up CBS and demand they move his interview? Doubtful. Just like he didn’t get to decide when the Late Show interview aired, he doesn’t get to make programming decisions for CBS.
Massive eyeroll.
Philipp is 99 years old, is in the hospital and for me it’s clear he doesn’t give a crap about Royal anymore, as it is in his right after having worked all of his life for them.
For the press and Petty Betty (Philipp is done also with her) this is another chance to bash HM. Again.
To me they are only using Philipp sickness (deathbed?) to bully HM.
Yeah, we were treated to Betty’s asinine virtual appearance on our screens. The statue was of her, and located in Canberra – that’s all I took in, because I was too busy controlling my eyes from rolling to the very back of my head. I could smell the desperation, though. Even if Harry and Meghan don’t drop any real bombshells, watching this lot trying to distract everyone is hilarious!
How pathetic is the royal rota? They are so pathetic that they are trying to hide behind a 99 year old’s hospitalization. It won’t work, not in the U.S.
Right. If he kicks the bucket it’s bc H&M did an interview not bc 99 3/4 years old. Ok. These people are idiots.
The fake guilt won’t work. And they keep saying he’s in the hospital as a precaution and for observation which for a rich elderly person seems normal. Average Joe Blow would have been sent home with maybe a home health aid by now, at least here in the US. They can’t make him younger which is the issue so they should stop with the bleating about his “health”. They didn’t let Meghan being pregnant stop them from hounding and harassing her for one minute.
Where did this six weeks come from? BP said that Philip would come out of the hospital at the end of the week. BP has not been truthful about Philip’s health from the get go and the press has failed in proper scrutinise this issue. This whole saga looks like the press and the Palace colluding to stop Harry and Meghan from speaking out and they’re using Philip to do it. Why hasn’t the Queen visited Philip yet? Btw, unveiling a statue of yourself is not public service.
Public service for pigeons, lol.
LOL:)
Amy bee, is there something happening in six weeks that would make the timing better for the royals or the press? Does the family have some big flashy project or party planned? Is Kate going to announce a pregnancy? Because it seems like the reporters are changing their story from Phil coming out in a week to coming out in six weeks (which is a huge jump) and so the interview should air after those six weeks, for some reason. But why is six weeks the magic number? Do they just want six more weeks to prepare their defense? Do they think they can get a sneak peek at ITV’s copy of the interview in the next six weeks? Do they think Phil will die within six weeks and then they can try to get it cancelled?
I wonder if anyone has told her about the statue of herself in Canada that got its head knocked off and stolen? Maybe she would stop “giggling.”
Someone stole her head? I bet it’s stands as a centerpiece at a student doorm wearing a silly hat and grose make-up
Oh my god I needed that.
It’s odd that his devoted old wife, so ga-ga for Phil 70 years ago, hasn’t bothered to pay him a visit. Maybe any love is long & completely dead? Stayed married for appearances & the sake of the monarchy? They’ve lived very separate lives for many years & Lizzie probably won’t miss hm when he’s gone.
I would blame Chroniak’s, the Greek god of time, but what do I know.
*Chronos
The commonwealth zoom is still on and Betty out here unveiling statues of herself. Can’t even be bothered to visit her supposedly dying husband. Carry on H&M. If ITV don’t air it then fine but it’s airing in America regardless and they’ll just have to deal.
The queen was beaming and grinning like a hyena. That man is not about to cross over anytime soon and everyone knows it. The BRF and the BM are clearly weaponizing information regarding his hospital stay.
My recollection of Diana with the press was that it was constantly invasive (after all, she was the most famous woman in the world) but it wasn’t hateful in the way they have been in the coverage of Meghan. They loved to cover Diana, they love to hate Meghan. That’s how I remember it, anyway. I do remember how cruel the press was to Sarah Ferguson when she gained weight after her marriage to Andrew, calling her names.
The paparazzi shouted insults at Diana because she would not pose for them. She also got bad treatment in the media by the pro Charles crowd including Penny Junor.
The collective delusion of these reporters… do they actually believe that they played no part in Diana’s death? Do they actually believe that incessantly hounding her every move constituted a friendly relationship with her? Do they not see that any deference, any communication with them on her part was literally survival?
It’s the same delusion as that ahole paparazzo in the Britney doc (the one whose car she beat with the umbrella) saying, we cared about her, she liked us being there as the poor woman is clutching her baby and sobbing. These people are evil and should be treated as such.
It’s the “oh get off it, she was killed by a drunk driver” for me. The go to line from the BM and royalists in order to protect the tabloids and the establishment. They really run around acting like Diana was just the victim of some unfortunate and random accident. Like, “it could have been anyone, it just happened to be the most famous woman in the world. Oh well, how sad.” It’s disgusting.
It’s no surprise that Harry & Megan would be blamed for PP being in the hospital…I’m waiting for a piece of news article blaming them for COVID-19…I really am….but right now, I genuinely want to know…Why is everyone so afraid of the Oprah interview? What they have done to Harry _ Megan publicly is bad enough, I can’t imagine what awful thing they are trying to hide, which makes me sympathize with Harry and Megan even more at the very thought of it all.
I have a hard time believing anyone is updating Phillip about what the Sussexes are up to anyway unless he has turned it into some personal bête noire. If he has, it totally proves the Sussexes point.
I bet he and Penny would pay regular vistits H&M, if they were younger and sans covid.
Really? Were there articles saying he visited them before they left for Canada or that he visited the Cambridges? I thought he kind of did his own thing but he and E dictated that people show up for specific holidays etc. If he actually cared about them as people they might not be living in Santa Barbara. I could see Chuck visiting though.
I think Philip will be fine (relatively fine, considering his age and all.) One of the papers said that Charles coming to the hospital would have been at Philip’s request and that he was wanting to discuss the future of the monarchy. I agree that the continuing speculation is mostly the press, coupled with a few palace advisors, trying to attack H&M. Harry is not going to go scorched earth an his grandparents, that has been made clear with the Corden interview. So I actually don’t think the queen is the one worried about it. This is probably KP briefing the press with the Phillip narrative, as they both were coordinating together is the smear campaign. Maybe with a dash of Charles as well.
So they’re reporting that he will be alive six weeks from now when just yesterday they were saying he was gonna die on March 8 thanks to Meghan and Harry’s lethal interview in America. Got it.
Yes, because if he were to die, they can blame H&M. See, he would have lived longer if not for you
I doubt that Prince Philip would be terribly concerned about Harry and Meghan’s interview anyway, deathbed or no. He’s always projected something of a stoic image, and has lived through enough instability and tragedy that something like this probably seems rather trivial. Hell, I can even imagine him laughing to himself at the absurdity of this whole mess. I think he’s always disdained a lot of the pomp of being a royal, and out of the entire family, PP seems the most likely to understand Harry’s desire to escape. I also think he sees his wife’s punishment of the Sussexes for the petty bullshit it is. Maybe the reason she’s now avoiding him is because he told her so. The deathbed is a perfect place to finally tell someone what you truly think of them.
If all the revelations about Andrew didn’t kill him, it’s hard to imagine the Oprah interview will.
Here! Here!
The BM should put their money where there mouth is. It is ENTIRELY within their power to cease covering and publicizing H&M’s Oprah interview in the UK. All you do is…….NOT talk about it, write about it, tweet about it, etc.
If the BM actually gives a flying flip about Phillip’s welfare and the stoic “praying” that the RF endures, then they should have the good grace to protect the RF and the British public from hearing or seeing anything in regards to H&M. So easy.
What makes anyone think this man will be alive in 6 weeks, let alone next day? He’s nearly 100 years old, for crying out loud, every day could be his last one. Face it, karma is banging at their door and no delaying strategy will stop it.
If he passes, especially after the interview, it will be blamed on Harry and Megan for sure.
Of course, because why would common sense over an extremely old man most likely at death’s door anyway prevail over hatred of this couple? Any reason to harass and trash them. If not this opportunity, then another excuse.
Actually, the article just states that he “could” be in the hospital up to six weeks. So, I’m really skeptical that he will be there that long. It’ possible that he’s doing some rehab to get back on his feet while they’re checking out his heart.
Bingo. A physical medicine rehab facility for strengthening while wearing a telemetry unit is prob more like it. That would explain the “weeks”.
I know this reads kinda stupid but, I don’t know.
Considering her bubble, and her and Phil living separate and doing their own thing, did the staff even tell her that Phil is in the hospital?
I just cannot fathom not one photo op or story about being in contact with him.
So when is a good time? Now’s bad because corpse man is dying. Next week seems bad because it’s still a pandemic. The following week is bad because the queen is doing something queen related. It doesn’t matter when they do it’ll never appease the British media. I’m super excited for it to air and I hope it leaves them so flabbergasted they refuse to even publish any story from now on even slightly mentioning Harry or Meghan.
This centenarian is on borrowed time and trying to postpone this broadcast on the possibility that he may be in the hospital for another six weeks is just ludicrous and another one of their transparent ploys to delay the inevitable. The man definitely isn’t getting any younger. It’s obvious that no matter what happens, Meghan and Harry will be blamed and no one is going to stop an American broadcast to defer to the royals. The RF and RRs can’t avoid the inevitable so they just have to suck it up and accept the consequences of their actions.
As a tax payer I don’t care