Duke in hospital with chest pains
23 December 2011 Last updated at 22:25 GMT Duke of Edinburgh in hospital following chest pains The Duke of Edinburgh has been taken to hospital in Cambridgeshire after suffering chest pains, a Buckingham Palace spokesman has said. Prince Philip, who turned 90 in June, was taken from Sandringham to the cardiothoracic unit at Papworth Hospital for "precautionary tests". The Royal Family had been gathering at Sandringham, a traditional royal retreat in Norfolk, for Christmas. The BBC's Peter Hunt said it was not clear if he will stay in overnight. Our <a href="http://www.louisvuittonoutletstoresonlines.com"><strong>L ouis Vuitton Outlet</strong></a> correspondent said the Greek-born prince was in strikingly good health and there had been no suggestion of ill health. 'Clearly disruptive' The prince attended a lunch for his staff a week ago and was reportedly "on very good form", he added. He said no other member of the Royal Family travelled with him to the hospital. According to Sky News, he was flown there in a helicopter. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said it was "very sad" and "clearly disruptive" for their family Christmas. Discussing the speed at which the royals released the information, she said: "Either this is more serious and therefore they felt they really must issue a statement, or they've simply moved with the times and it's going to get out in social media." Papworth is the UK's largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital and the country's main heart and lung transplant centre. It treats more than 22,800 inpatient and day cases and 53,400 outpatients each year. Prince Philip, who arrived at Sandringham on Monday, is the longest-serving royal consort and celebrated 64 years of marriage in November. He was last in hospital in April 2008, when he spent three days in London with a chest infection. And last October he pulled out of travelling to Assisi in Italy because he had a cold. He had just <a href="http://www.louisvuittonoutletsofficial.com"><strong>Louis Vuitton Outlet</strong></a> returned from an 11-day tour of Australia with the Queen. Former press secretary to the Queen, <a href="http://www.louisvuittonukbagsuk.com"><strong>Louis Vuitton UK</strong></a> Dickie Aribiter, said: "He has had these chest pains before and I don't think it's anything untoward, but given his age they are being safe rather than sorry. "I am sure we are going to see him on Christmas Day and he can look forward to accompanying the Queen in the new year." Royal commentator Margaret Holder said it was worrying for the Royal Family but might not be as serious as it sounded. "It's possible it could be a bit of indigestion and they are just checking it over, let's hope it's something simple like that," she said. "But he is 90, he has been in remarkable health. For somebody who has just done an 11-day tour of Australia at 90, that's amazing in itself as it is." She said the long flights may have "taken something out of him". A Buckingham Palace spokesman has reiterated that Prince Philip is undergoing "precautionary checks".
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