Prince Philip reunited with The Queen at Windsor after longest ever hospital stay

Philip, 99, is said to be in good spirits after spending 28 nights as an in-patient – his longest ever stay.

He was initially receiving care for an infection then underwent heart surgery for a pre-existing condition.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “The Duke of Edinburgh has today been discharged from King Edward VII’s Hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle, following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition.

“His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII’s Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes.”

Philip was pushed in a wheelchair to a waiting car when he left the private hospital in central London on Tuesday morning, after first being admitted on February 16.

The duke was partially obscured by a screen erected at the rear of the hospital but a man appeared to help him into the chauffeur-driven saloon.

Wearing a white shirt and yellow jumper, Philip turned to look at the large media presence outside King Edward VII’s as the car pulled away, and he was driven to Windsor.

He was initially taken to King Edward VII’s Hospital by car a month ago after feeling unwell at Windsor.

But two weeks later was moved to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London by ambulance where he had a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition on March 3, just three months before his 100th birthday.

A few days later he was transferred back to King Edward’s to recuperate and to continue his treatment.

Throughout his time in hospital the royal family continued with their official duties.

Philip was visited just once on February 20 by his eldest son, the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home and stayed for around 30 minutes.

But the Earl of Wessex revealed he had been speaking to his father by phone and when the duke was into his second week of treatment Edward said Philip was “looking forward to getting out” and the family were keeping their “fingers crossed”.

Concern had been heightened for the duke because of his advanced age and amid troubled times for the royals.

The monarchy was plunged into crisis while Philip was in hospital following the shocking allegations of racism made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey.

Harry and Meghan, who faced calls to postpone the interview because Philip was unwell, accused an unnamed royal, not the Queen nor the duke, of raising concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin tone would be before he was born.

Meghan also told of how she begged for help when she was suicidal, but said the institution gave her no support.

The Queen, 94, said the issues were concerning, but that “some recollections may vary” and the matter was a family one that would be dealt with privately.

The Duke of Cambridge, meanwhile, defended the House of Windsor, saying on a visit to a school in east London: “We’re very much not a racist family.”